Super Eagles full-back Chibueze Oputa admitted it was hard to watch Enugu Rangers lift the Nigeria Premier Football League title from a distance, after he missed the club’s dramatic final-day win in Lagos.
Rangers clinched their ninth NPFL crown with a tense 2-1 triumph over Ikorodu City at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena on Sunday, closing out the season level on points with the league’s most decorated modern-era outfit, Enyimba.
Oputa, though, was not in the squad for the landmark occasion. The defender had traveled to London to link up with the Super Eagles for the Unity Cup, working under head coach Eric Chelle.
Quick facts
- Chibueze Oputa missed Enugu Rangers’ NPFL title-clinching match in Lagos.
- Rangers won the league with a 2-1 result over Ikorodu City at Mobolaji Johnson Arena on Sunday.
- The title was Rangers’ ninth in total; the final standings left them level with Enyimba on points.
- Oputa was in London with Nigeria for Unity Cup preparations under Eric Chelle.
- Nigeria’s next match is a Unity Cup semi-final versus Zimbabwe on Tuesday at The Valley in London.
Missing the moment
Speaking from the Super Eagles base in England, Oputa said he felt he should have been involved in the decisive game with his teammates as they sealed the championship.
“I’m so happy we became Nigerian champions. I wish I was there to play the final game with the team, but God is good,” Oputa said. “We never stopped praying and believing. Even from London on Unity Cup duty with Nigeria, my heart was with the boys. I’ll keep giving my best to represent both Rangers and Nigeria proudly.”
Oputa’s campaign for Rangers had drawn strong notice, with his form spanning the season as a reliable right-sided presence. He was singled out for his steadiness, defensive organisation and willingness to contribute forward, all while playing in Fidelis Ilechukwu’s setup.
Those displays ultimately helped earn him his first invitation to Nigeria’s senior national team.
Next stop: Unity Cup semi-final
The Rangers defender is now expected to feature as Nigeria take on Zimbabwe in Tuesday’s Unity Cup semi-final at The Valley in London.
Back home, Rangers’ title success triggered celebrations in Enugu and among supporters in Lagos, with the “Flying Antelopes” holding their nerve in one of the tightest NPFL title contests in recent memory.
