The home side took control of the eastern derby and sealed a comfortable victory that reinforced their strong record at their Awka base. Goals from Godwin Obaje, Chidiebere Nwobodo and Akorede Daniel secured the three points for the Flying Antelopes.
Obaje opened the scoring in the 37th minute to give Rangers a deserved half-time lead. Shortly after the restart, Nwobodo doubled the advantage in the 49th minute, putting the hosts firmly in command. Abia Warriors managed to pull a goal back at some stage, but any hopes of a comeback were extinguished deep into stoppage time when Daniel added a third in the 90+5th minute.
Derby matches between the two sides are always keenly contested, and Rangers once again underlined their superiority on home soil. The Flying Antelopes will now turn their attention to the next round of fixtures, while Abia Warriors face the task of regrouping after a disappointing afternoon on the road.
