Enugu Rangers boss Salisu Yusuf has praised Dakkada FC for giving his side a huge fight in their matchday 28 encounter on Sunday.

Substitute Shedrack Asiegbu scored a late equaliser to salvage a point for the Flying Antelopes in Uyo and ensure they made it three games without defeat against Dakkada.

With one victory and a draw in their previous two games against the Uyo side, Rangers were confident of taking all three points according to Salisu, but the former national team assistant manager blamed his players for giving away ‘cheap goal’ when Isaac George put the home side ahead in the first half which left them chasing the game.

Salisu, however, credited his interventions from the bench for his side snatching a draw from the jaws of defeat after substitute Asiegbu ended Dakkada’s hopes of a first win against Rangers since 2019 with an 88th-minute equaliser.

“We were set to take the three points but we gave away a cheap goal in the first half and that became a motivation to the other team,” Salisu said. “They really fought in all the phases of play and we had to make changes to see how we could save even a point and it was a good change you can see when we made changes we attacked more because we put more attacking players and we thank God we equalised.

“It was a very difficult match because the Dakkada team really fought in every department of the game.”

The draw kept Rangers who have now won just one of their last six games in seventh place on 43 points and they would hope to get back to winning ways when they visit struggling Warri Wolves on matchday 29.