Ikorodu City FC secures first win of the season after dominant display over Bendel Insurance

Posted : 12 October 2024

Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) debutant Ikorodu City FC responded well on Saturday, defending their place in the league with a dominant 3-0 victory over visiting Bendel Insurance FC on NPFL Matchday 6.

The Oga Boys marked a fresh start to their campaign in the elite league with an impressive display over the Benin Arsenals.

After wasting a flurry of chances in the first half, including a disallowed offside goal, the Oga Boys scored all three goals in the second half of the game.

The exciting NPFL Matchday 6 encounter took place at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan.

The scoring opened for the Lagos Boys in the 48th minute with a well-timed header from Rivio Ayemwenre, after a brilliant run from captain Waliu Ojetoye.

The second goal came quickly in the 55th minute when Kelechi Onwe scored his first-ever goal in top-flight football. He met a long throw from Tosin Oyedokun to head past the Bendel Insurance goalkeeper.

Not stopping there, the Oga Boys added a third goal in the 73rd minute as substitute Toheeb Ajeyigbe marked his return with a clean strike, beating the goalkeeper and blasting into the top corner of the net.

The match ended 3-0 in favor of the Oga Boys.

Speaking after the match, Ikorodu City FC captain Waliu Ojetoye said the win was a chance to unlock the team's potential.

“The match was a hard-fought win for us. We really needed to start winning, and securing the first win today at home is a great boost for us."

“Our previous matches were not bad, but we were just unlucky in those games. Now, by breaking the deadlock with three goals, we know we can do better in upcoming matches."

“This win should encourage our fans to continue supporting us, as it is dedicated to them for standing by us even when we couldn’t win,” he said.

Responding to questions about the recent sacking of coach Bright Ozebagbe, Ojetoye noted that the team was simply unlucky during his tenure.

“This is a good start for us. The win isn’t because we lost our coach. We were just unlucky during his time, but now we are more fired up and will continue improving in future games,” he said.

Goalscorer Toheeb Ajeyigbe commended his team for the positive result against the Benin Arsenals.

“I’m very happy about scoring today. We have been working for this moment, and thank God it happened."

“Our fans have supported us, and we’re grateful for that. Moving forward, we need more wins to help us in the league."

“I also want to score more goals, and with God’s help, I believe I can,” he said.

The 3-0 victory over Benin Arsenals at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, was Ikorodu City FC's first win since being promoted to the NPFL.

The Lagos boys experienced a tough start in their debut match, suffering a 3-0 loss to Kano Pillars in Katsina.

In their second match, the Oga Boys earned their first point with a 1-1 draw away against Kwara United, while their first-ever home match ended in a narrow 0-1 loss to Rangers.

Their next home match saw the Oga Boys lose 1-2 to Nasarawa United FC, another newly-promoted team.

On NPFL Matchday 5, Ikorodu City FC suffered a 0-1 defeat to Plateau United in Jos.

Ikorodu City FC now sits in 17th place on the NPFL log with one win, one draw, and three losses, amassing a total of four points.

Ikorodu City FC secures first win of the season after dominant display over Bendel Insurance

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