Preview: MC Alger vs Enugu Rangers – Team news, predictions & H2H

Enugu Rangers arrive in Algiers today with a two-goal lead from the first leg, built on Kenneth Igboke’s late penalty and a James Emo counter-attack finish three minutes later.

Those goals came after goalkeeper Lucky Jimoh was sent off in the first half, and Rangers must now stop MC Alger winning by three clear goals at Stade Ali Ammar (8 pm Nigerian time) to reach the Champions League group stage.

MC Alger did exactly that to Rangers in the 1976 semi-final, winning 3-0 in Algiers after losing the first leg in Enugu, but this time they are without captain Ayoub Abdellaoui and midfielder Oussama Benhaoua.

Match Radar: MC Alger vs Enugu Rangers

⚽ MC Alger vs Enugu Rangers
Competition	CAF Champions League, second preliminary round, second leg
Kickoff	Friday, October 23, 2026 – 8:00pm (Nigerian and Algerian time)
Venue	Stade Ali Ammar, Douera, Algiers
Aggregate	Enugu Rangers lead by two goals
MC Alger must win by three clear goals to go through outright

MC Alger vs Enugu Rangers form and context

MC Alger, champions of Algeria for three seasons running, have won three of their last five games in all competitions.

They beat Nigelec 5-0 at home in the previous round and kept clean sheets against MB Rouissat and CR Temouchent in the league.

They have conceded in only two of those five games, though both were away from home.

Nine goals in those five games include five in a single night against Nigelec, so the scoring record flatters a side that did not score in Abeokuta, even with a man advantage after Jimoh’s dismissal.

Rangers lead the NPFL with 17 points from eight games, though their last away league outing was a 2-2 draw at Barau on October 11.

Their only league defeat came 2-0 at Ikorodu City on September 27, and they have won three of their next four games.

They reached this round by beating Sobemap 5-4 on penalties after two 1-1 draws, so tight, low-scoring ties are familiar territory.

Off the pitch, CAF’s Disciplinary Board rejected Rangers’ request to play behind closed doors on Thursday and opened proceedings over incidents reported at the first leg.

MC Alger deny the seat-damage claim, and the stadium in Douera holds 40,000.

Both clubs also had league fixtures on Saturday postponed, so neither has a weekend game to protect.

Head-to-head: MC Alger vs Enugu Rangers

These clubs have met in two ties, and the Abeokuta result repeated the exact scoreline from the first leg of their 1976 African Cup of Champions Clubs semi-final.

The first leg stayed goalless until late on despite a red card for each side, with Benhaoua following Jimoh off after a second yellow card, and MC Alger have disputed both the penalty and that booking.

MC Alger won the 1976 return leg 3-0 in Algiers, went through 3-2 on aggregate and then won the title.

That tie is 50 years old and says nothing about this squad, but it explains why the Algiers crowd will believe a comeback is possible.

MC Alger vs Enugu Rangers: Team news and predicted XIs

MC Alger are without Abdellaoui, who missed the first leg with a muscle problem, and Benhaoua, who is suspended after his second yellow card in Abeokuta.

Rangers are without Jimoh, whose red card for fouling Zakaria Naidji outside the box left Abdullateef Ishola to finish the first leg.

David Molise of Lesotho takes charge of the second leg. Ishola is the likelier starter in Algiers, with George Abine the other senior goalkeeper.

MC Alger need goals, so Mohamed Islam Abdelkader is the likeliest like-for-like replacement for Benhaoua in a side that started the first leg in a back three.

MC Alger	Enugu Rangers
Ayoub Abdellaoui (captain): muscle problem, out Oussama Benhaoua: suspended after first-leg red card	Lucky Jimoh (goalkeeper): suspended after first-leg red card

Star player comparison: Mossi Nduwumwe vs Chidiebere Nwobodo

Mossi Nduwumwe Forward · MC Alger	Stat	Chidiebere Nwobodo Forward · Enugu Rangers
1	League goals	2
No	Captain	Yes

The managers: Ben Yahia vs Fidelis Ilechukwu

Khaled Ben Yahia, the Tunisian coach, returned on March 15 after Rhulani Mokwena resigned and has a contract to June 2027.

His first spell in 2024/25 brought a league title, the Algerian Super Cup and a Champions League quarter-final.

Fidelis Ilechukwu, 48, has won the NPFL twice with Rangers, in 2023/24 and 2025/26, and signed a one-year extension to 2027.

Tactical preview: Can Rangers protect the lead?

MC Alger started the first leg with a back three of Ayoub Ghezala, Yakoub Gassi and Abdelkader Menezla, with Siriman Konate and Naidji up front.

Both Rangers goals came late, with MC Alger pushing forward: one from a penalty after Chimobi Igwilo was fouled and one from a counter-attack, and Emo had a goal ruled offside before his finish.

Rangers general manager Amobi Ezeaku has promised the team will “play and win them in Algiers”, but the realistic plan is a compact block that stays organised and counters.

Ben Yahia must commit numbers forward, which leaves space behind for exactly that kind of break.

The goalkeeper change is the obvious pressure point, because Naidji and Konate are likely to test whoever plays.

MC Alger vs Enugu Rangers prediction

MC Alger win on the night but not by enough, and Rangers go through 3-2 on aggregate.

MC Alger did not score in 90 minutes in Abeokuta despite playing more than half an hour against 10 men, and they now miss two of their regular starters.

Rangers scored from a counter-attack in Abeokuta, and a single away goal would make the three-goal margin very hard to reach.

🔮 MC Alger 2 – 1 Enugu Rangers

Rangers progress on aggregate after a late counter-attack goal. Likely scorers: Naidji and Konate for MC Alger, Emo for Rangers.