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Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin, has defeated visiting Kwara United Football Club of Ilorin 3-1 to advance their position in the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
The Week 13 encounter played at the famous Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, lived up to its pre-match hype.
The visitors upon the blast of the kick-off whistle detated the pace of the game with an intent to draw the curtaining riser.
However, Insurance forward, Nazir Mohammed, put the homers in front in the 18 minutes of play following a well-taken right footed shoot which caught kwara Utd goalie, Nurudeen Badmus, napping.
However, the visitors were pegged back into the game following defensive blunder by Emmanuel Ugwu in 23 minutes of play.
Despite countless missed goal scoring opportunities by the attackers of the Benin Arsenal, Nazir Mohammed, again put Insurance in front after a goal mouth scramble as the first half ended in 2-1.
The Ilorin boys upon resumption of hostilities in the second half, took the battle to the backyard of the homers in search of equalizer.
While the visitors dominated play at the centre, the homers continue to miss clear cut opportunities in front of goal.
Insurance veteran attacker, Austin Ogunye, in the 85 minutes of play dented the hope of Kwara United going to Ilorin with at least a point after a well positioned header.
Speaking to sports journalists during a post-match interview, Coach Greg Ikhenoba, Bendel Insurance Stand-in Head coach who is handling the team following the recent resignation of the Head Coach, Mondy Odigie, commended his boys for the victory.
While rueing missed goal scoring opportunities by his attackers especially in front of goal, promised to work on the team ahead of their visit to Lafia against Nasarawa United weekend.
He maintained that the team is work in progress, especially playing against all odds, charged his boys to be clinical in front of goal.
On his part, Kwara United gaffer, Tunde Sani, said his team did not play their normal game against insurers, adding that “Kwara United play better than this”.
Sani who said his boys did not deserve the heavy loss described the game as “a bad day in the office.”
“We came in yesterday (Friday) and we cannot say fatigue. We just lost concentration, if not, we cannot lose heavily like this.
‘Since the commencement of the season, we had hardly conceded two goals let alone three goals’, he added.
