2024/2025 NPFL Match Day 13: Bendel Insurance bounce back after Kwara Utd 3-1 spanking

Posted : 25 November 2024

Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin has bounced back to winning ways after defeating the visiting Kwara United Football Club of Ilorin 3-1 to advance their campaign in the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).

The NPFL Week 13 encounter, played at the famous Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, lived up to its pre-match hype as the game produced four beautiful goals, with energy and skill to match from both sides.

Watch NPFL Matches LIVE: https://www.africasport.net/livetv/nigeria

The visitors, immediately after the kick-off whistle, tried to impose themselves on the hosts, dictating the pace of the game with the intent to compound Insurance's woes. However, the Harmony Boys' impressive start was short-lived as the hosts resisted and got their plans going well, with Nazir Mohammed being a thorn in the flesh of the visitors.

Nazir Mohammed’s efforts paid off as he put the homers in front in the 18th minute with a well-taken right-footed shot that caught Kwara United goalkeeper, Nurudeen Badmus, napping, with Stanley Okorom providing the assist.

Nazir had narrowly missed his first target in the 10th minute when he smartly dashed into the box with a fine drive, beating the defense trap, but the Kwara keeper was alert to his responsibility, calmly stopping what would have been the opening goal.

In showing their thirst for goals, Uche Collins came close to opening the scoring in the 13th minute, but his volley went over the bar.

The Insurance's 18th-minute goal through Nazir Mohammed was canceled by Emmanuel Ogbole in the 24th minute after a brilliant solo effort, following a poor clearance by Emmanuel Ugwu. Nazir Mohammed struck again in the 28th minute to give the Benin Arsenals a deserved lead, securing his first brace for Insurance and giving the hosts a 2-1 lead at halftime.

The Harmony Boys, upon resumption of the second half, made tactical adjustments, introducing Abayomi Lawal for Ebuka Anakwe in the 47th minute, which energized them.

However, the push for an equalizer by the Harmony Boys left gaps in their defense, which allowed Augustine Ogunye's clinical header to seal victory for Insurance with a goal in the 85th minute.

In a post-match interview, Bendel Insurance's stand-in Head Coach Greg Ikhenoba, who is handling the team following the recent resignation of Head Coach Mondy Odigie, commended his boys for the victory.

While rueing missed goal-scoring opportunities by his attackers, especially in front of goal, Coach Ikhenoba promised to work on the team ahead of their visit to Lafia against Nasarawa United on Wednesday.

He maintained that the team is a work in progress, especially playing against all odds, and charged his boys to be more clinical in front of goal.

On his part, Kwara United manager Tunde Sanni said his team did not play their normal game against Insurance, insisting that "Kwara United plays better than this."

Sanni, who felt his team did not deserve the heavy loss, described the game as "a bad day in the office."

"We came in yesterday (Friday) and we cannot blame our heavy loss on fatigue. We just lost concentration; if not, we could have done better than this.

"Since the commencement of the season, we had hardly conceded two goals, let alone three," he rued.

2024/2025 NPFL Match Day 13: Bendel Insurance bounce back after Kwara Utd 3-1 spanking

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics