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Maikaba had, following a poor start to the 2023 season, been placed on a ultimatum, and was at risk of the sack.
Following his team's first win of the 2023 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season, the head coach of Rangers International Abdul Maikaba has expressed his relief, adding that his team will keep working to be among the best.
Rangers, on game week five of the 2023 NPFL, finally got their season on the right track following a 1-0 victory over Dakkada at the Awka City Stadium.
A 28th-minute strike by Hadi Mohammed was all the seven-time NPFL champions needed to secure the hard-fought 1-0 victory on Wednesday.
Prior to the team’s first win of the season, they had failed to win any of their first four games in Group B, drawing twice and losing their other two matches.
Maikaba happy about first win
Speaking to journalists in his post-match conference, Maikaba praised the performance of his players, adding that he felt relieved.
“It was a good game that we could have won with plenty of goals,” Maikaba said at full-time as his players celebrated the 1-0 victory. “However, we are happy with the three points, because it moved us out of the relegation zone.
“We keep working to ensure we reach the top, to be amongst the best three finishers in the group.
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“We hope to keep the newfound momentum which has seen us maintain a good team performance in our last three matches and keep two clean sheets against good sides.”
The former Plateau United and Akwa United gaffer also ensured that the team will continue to work hard to reach the top three finishers in Group B.
Rangers to travel to Wikki Tourists on Sunday
With Wednesday's victory, and five points garnered from five games, Rangers have now moved away from Group B's relegation places into the seventh position, and are four points away from the playoff qualification spots.
Game week six will see Maikaba's side hope to maintain the form when they travel to Bauchi this weekend to take on Wikki Tourists, at the Abubakar Tafawa Balawa Stadium in Bauchi.
In two of their visits to the Bauchi club, Rangers were able to avoid defeats, drawing 0-0 in 2022, and 1-1 in 2019.
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