Head coach of Enyimba FC, Emmanuel Deutsch, has reacted to his side’s 2–1 defeat to Rangers International FC in the Oriental Derby, admitting the result was disappointing but not undeserved.
The encounter, played at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, saw Enyimba take the lead before Rangers staged a comeback to claim all three points.
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Reflecting on the game, Deutsch said:
“Losing such a derby game away isn’t that bad. It wasn’t a bad game, we scored the first goal, they equalized and scored the second. They needed the victory the way we needed.”
Enyimba went ahead in the first half but were unable to hold on as Rangers struck twice after the break to seal a 2–1 win, a result that boosted the hosts’ title ambitions in the Nigeria Premier Football League.
The defeat leaves Enyimba in 13th position on the league table with 43 points after 35 matches, just three points above the relegation zone.
In contrast, Rangers moved to the top of the standings with 59 points, underlining the significance of the victory.
Despite the loss, Deutsch insisted his team showed quality and remains focused on finishing the season strongly.
