Rangers International General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, Amobi Ezeaku, has apologised to the club’s supporters following their elimination from the CAF Champions League, pledging that the Nigerian champions will learn from the setback and return stronger, Trybal News reports.
Rangers crashed out of the competition on Friday after suffering a 3-0 defeat to Algeria’s MC Alger at the Ali La Pointe Stadium in Algiers, losing 3-2 on aggregate despite securing a 2-0 victory in the first leg in Abeokuta.
The defeat ended the Flying Antelopes hopes of securing a place in the Champions League group stage, with MC Alger completing a dramatic comeback through three second-half goals.
Reacting to the disappointment, Ezeaku issued an emotional message to the Rangers faithful on social media, titled “To the Rangers Family: Our Story Is Bigger Than One Defeat,” in which he acknowledged the pain of the result and apologised for failing to meet the supporters’ expectations.
From the bottom of my heart, I am sincerely sorry that we could not give you the result, the joy, and the pride you deserved tonight,” he wrote.
However, the Rangers chief urged supporters to view the defeat within the broader context of the club’s rebuilding process and recent achievements, highlighting their Nigeria Premier Football League title victories in the 2023/2024 and 2025/2026 seasons.
Ezeaku noted that the club had made significant progress despite inheriting challenges, insisting that the work undertaken to restore Rangers’ competitiveness and strengthen its structures should not be overshadowed by one disappointing result.
We inherited challenges, but we chose to rebuild. Through sacrifice, difficult decisions, resilience, and collective belief, we won the league in 2023/2024, faced setbacks, and rose again to become champions in 2025/2026,” he stated.
While acknowledging the frustration of the supporters, Ezeaku reaffirmed the club’s commitment to its long-term ambitions and promised that lessons would be drawn from the Champions League disappointment.
I cannot promise a journey without setbacks, but I can assure you that our ambition remains intact. We will keep working, keep building, and keep fighting to make you proud,” he added.
The Rangers CEO also called for unity between the club and its supporters, stressing that the elimination would not define the team’s future.
We may have lost a match, but we have not lost our way. We are hurting, but we are not broken,” Ezeaku declared.
MC Alger Complete Dramatic Comeback
Rangers appeared well-positioned to progress after taking a two-goal advantage into the second leg. However, MC Alger turned the tie around with a decisive second-half performance.
Chahreddine Boukholda opened the scoring for the Algerian side in the 58th minute before Guinean forward Mohamed Bangoura levelled the aggregate score with six minutes remaining in regulation time.
With the contest seemingly heading towards a penalty shootout, Soufiane Bayazid struck in the third minute of stoppage time to seal a 3-0 victory for MC Alger on the night and a 3-2 aggregate triumph.
The result brought Rangers’ continental campaign to an abrupt end, leaving the club to regroup and refocus on its domestic objectives.
Ezeaku concluded his message by thanking the supporters for their patience and continued belief, promising that the club would continue working towards its ambitions.
Tonight, we feel the pain. Tomorrow, we return to the work. We will rise again. We will fight again. And we will keep building the Rangers we all dream of.”
He signed off with the club’s rallying cry: “NEVER SAY DIE!”
