Rangers International FC have booked their place in the semi-finals of the 2025 President Federation Cup, edging past a resilient Plateau United side with a hard-fought 1-0 victory in a thrilling quarter-final clash held at the Area 3 football pitch in Abuja.
The lone goal of the encounter came in the 30th minute, courtesy of Chiedozie Okorie.
The forward expertly latched onto a long, pinpoint clearance from Rangers' youthful goalkeeper, Divine Onuorah, before calmly slotting the ball past the Plateau United shot-stopper.
The second half witnessed both teams pushing relentlessly for more goals, but outstanding goalkeeping at both ends ensured the scoreline remained unchanged.
In particular, Divine Onuorah emerged as the hero of the day for the 'Flying Antelopes', pulling off two breathtaking saves in the dying moments of the match to deny Plateau United an equalizer and secure Rangers' passage into the next round.
Speaking after the keenly contested affair, Coach Ekeh Ekenedilichukwu, representing Rangers' technical adviser Fidelis Ilechukwu, expressed his delight.
"This is a very sweet victory for us against a highly tactical and technical side, led by a great coach, Mbwas Mangut. We continue to fight till the end of the competition."
Adding his voice, Rangers' General Manager/CEO, Amobi Ezeaku Esq., who was a notable presence on the substitutes' bench, stated, "We remain very humble in victory as we fought with all we had in us to overcome a great side, Plateau United. We shall continue to fight till the end of the competition, which we are positive about."
Rangers will now face Kwara United in the semi-final of the prestigious competition. The date for this highly anticipated encounter will be announced by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in due course.