Ogunbote: Enugu Rangers quarter-final dream not over

Enugu Rangers head coach, Gbenga Ogunbote has stressed that the Flying Antelopes will fight until the very end for a place in the quarter-final of the Caf Confederation Cup.

The Flying Antelopes were hoping to bolster their qualification chances with an away win against Salitas in Ouagadougou on Sunday night but they could only settle for a draw after playing over 60 minutes of the encounter with a man down.

Ogunbote knows that their qualification does not depend solely on the result of their next game with CS Sfaxien on Sunday in Enugu because they will still need Salitas to do them some favour in their away duel with Etoile du Sahel in Sousse.

“It was a tough game for us in Ouagadougou because we could only settle for a draw in a game we went all out for a win,” Ogunbote told the media.

“It was a game we could have secured the maximum points but the red card we got in the 28th minute of the encounter disrupted our game plan and we were left with fighting for our lives and ensuring that we got a result that will still give us a chance in the final group stage. It is quite difficult for us to qualify now but we will remain hopeful until the very last kick.

“We knew that the two results we got against Etoile du Sahel played a prominent role in the situation we found ourselves presently but we can’t drop our hands off just like that and surrender when we are still with a chance.

"We have to concentrate on our own next game with CS Sfaxien and go with the intention of winning well. We don’t have powers over what happens elsewhere but we are hopeful that fortune can smile on us.”

Enugu Rangers will go into the final group game without Semiu Liadi who was sent off in Ouagadougou after a second bookable offense and will be ineligible for their weekend cracker with CS Sfaxien at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.

The 2018 Federation Cup champions are third in Group B with five points from five matches behind CS Sfaxien and Etoile du Sahel who are on nine and seven points respectively from five games also.