Heartland expresses displeasure over timing of Rangers tie

Heartland have expressed displeasure over the failed request to reschedule their matchday seven tie with Rangers.

The Naze Millionaires had written to the league body requesting a change in the kick-off time of their oriental derby with Rangers.

The Owerri club want the game to start early to enable them return to Owerri on time to avoid the restrictions of movement in the South East on Mondays.

The NPFL, however, failed to grant their request, stating that it would affect the broadcast arrangement as regards the timing of the game.

“The decision not to grant our request for an early kick-off of the Sunday game with Rangers does not sit well with us at all,” Heartland General Manager, Promise Nwachukwu told the club’s media.

“We wrote to the NPFL with the mindset that we would be heard and that the league body would consider the safety of our players and officials as important over other issues.

“We all know the situation in the South East on Mondays with the sit-at-home. We do not want to endanger the lives of our players and officials. It was because of this that we wrote to the NPFL, beckoning on them for the game to start earlier than 4 p.m. so that we could return to our base without issues at the end of the game.

“We are not requesting for what is out of place. It is similar thing we have done for other teams that have visited us who requested for their games to be played early for the same reason. Why should our own be different?”

The match is billed for the Awka City Stadium in Anambra on Sunday.