Rangers insist they are champions

‘The Flying Antelopes’ finished as runners-up on 58 points from 36 matches after defaulting Ocean Boys were thrown out of the league for missing two straight games. But for the Nigeria Premier League ruling against Ocean Boys, Rangers would have been champions after Kano Pillars lost 2-1 at Sunshine Stars, also on Friday. Both teams […]

‘The Flying Antelopes’ finished as runners-up on 58 points from 36 matches after defaulting Ocean Boys were thrown out of the league for missing two straight games.

But for the Nigeria Premier League ruling against Ocean Boys, Rangers would have been champions after Kano Pillars lost 2-1 at Sunshine Stars, also on Friday.

Both teams would have finished on 64 points with Rangers shading it by virtue of a better goals difference, +23 as against +22 of Pillars.

Rangers chief executive Paul Ozor Chibuzor again protested the NPL ruling, insisting his team are the champions of the past season.

“We have won the league and we will appeal against the decision of the NPL as it concerns Ocean Boys,” Chibuzor told MTNFootball.com

“No matter what we will protest this unfair decision and we will continue to fight until we get our championship.”

Rangers have already formally petitioned the Nigeria Football Federation on the case, while also disclosing that they may take the matter to world football governing body FIFA as well as the Court of Arbitration.

On Thursday, thousands of angry fans protested on the streets of Enugu against the NPL decision.

“Any time Rangers are about to win something, they come up with another style,” lamented a disappointed Rangers fan.