Rangers International general manager Amobi Ezeaku has warned the Nigeria Premier Football League champions against complacency as they begin their 2026/27 CAF Champions League campaign against Benin Republic’s SOBEMAP on Sunday in Abeokuta, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
The Flying Antelopes will host the first-leg encounter at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena, which they have adopted as their temporary home while renovation work continues at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.
Rangers head into the continental fixture after opening their NPFL title defence with a 1-1 draw last weekend, while SOBEMAP have also had an opportunity to assess the Nigerian champions through their domestic league campaign.
Ezeaku believes strong support from fans will be crucial as Rangers seek to establish an advantage before the return leg.
“There is light at the end of the tunnel for us. On Sunday, we expect that more fans will come out from Abeokuta, Lagos, Ikenne, and a lot of people have also come in from neighbouring states. We have to grind out the result, win convincingly and advance.
“We want to take each game as it comes. We have our eyes on the Champions League and we are not losing focus.”
Rangers are returning to Africa’s premier club competition with hopes of producing a run worthy of the club’s rich continental history.
The Enugu giants’ biggest African success remains their triumph in the 1977 African Cup Winners’ Cup, while their most recent Champions League campaign after winning the NPFL title in 2024 ended at the preliminary stage without reaching the group phase.
The Nigerian champions will therefore be determined to go further this time and take another step towards re-establishing themselves among Africa’s leading clubs.
If Rangers overcome SOBEMAP, they will face the winners of the second preliminary round tie between Niger Republic’s ASN Nigelec and Algerian giants MC Alger.