Zesco United’s opponents in the pre-group stage round of the CAF Confederations Cup Enugu Rangers will only arrivein Ndola on Saturday afternoon after the players refused to board the flight on Thursday owing to unpaid allowances.
The Nigerians champions are being flown out of Enugu today in batches through Lagos as there is no direct flight out Enugu today and they will only arrive in Ndola on Saturday afternoon for a game which was scheduled to kick off at 15 00hrs.
The ZamFoot Crew has been informed that Zesco is moving the kick off time to 1700hrs to accommodate the late arrival of the opponents who were initially expected to touch down at 14 30hrs on Friday.
The two teams drew 2 – 2 in the first leg.
Below is a report posted yesterday by Nairaland.
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Players of Rangers International refused today to board an Ethiopian airline flight to Zambia, where they are scheduled to play the second leg of the Confederation Cup.
The players were protesting the non-payment of their travelling allowances.
The incident happened at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu.
A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who was at the Airport reports that trouble started when the players were told by management of the team that they will receive their allowance when they return to Nigeria.
The information made the players to revolt and insist that they were not going to honour the match, unless they were paid.
Some of the players said that the management still owed them the match allowance due them when they met JS Suoara of Algeria in February.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that the match against JS Souara was played in February 2017 and the first leg ended 1-1 draw in Algeria with 0-0 draw in Enugu.
All efforts by the General Manager/CEO of the club, Christian Chukwu and the Team manager, Amaobi Ezeaku, to convince the players to embark on the journey fell on deaf ears.
The management was convinced that the players meant business when they jumped into their respective vehicles and left the Airport.
However, on receiving information about the protest, the state Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Charles Ndukwe drew the attention of the governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who immediately released fund for the settlement of the allowances.
But his intervention came late. The players could not make the flight as the plane had departed.
The development forced the management to shift the journey till tomorrow Friday, when the 28 -man contingent would travel to Lagos en-route Zambia for the encounter.
Be careful with such moves, don’t fall into such traps and tricks Zesco. Those guys may be playing with your brains, eliminate them by beating them not scoreless draw. loadshed them
Zesco must be careful. Enugu may be playing mind games on them.
Mind games!!!! and ZESCO should assume they are already in Ndola and prepare their mind-sets accordingly. Remember the Nigerian National Team (the Super Eagles) were stranded in the USA and eventually went to the Rio Olympics in Brazil very late and arrived a few minutes before kick off. They ended up in the medal bracket.
So ZESCO don’t take their late arrival for granted play like men possessed. My blessings to you ZESCO as you hoist our flag high.
Zega mambo. Punch them hard
Zesco should go about preparing like usual and not fall for this rouse. Mind games are a staple of West African sides so don’t buy into that
ZESCO 2-0 RANGERS
A naigrian is ruthless,zesco be focused and finish them off
Zega 3 – Rangers 1.
Well I believe team ya ziko will make things happen! Enugu the land where Dr. Omalu got his medical license will be ready to nurse their boys form mailti shock’s…..
Zesco 3 – 0 Enugu
Malaiti shocks
Finish them guyz,
balangeni umupila.Bt be careful with them,takuli ba refu abakubafwa.Tiye nayo ZEGA…ALL DE BEST.
Team news somebody