Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin on Saturday, April 27,2024 defeated Heartland Football Club of Owerri 1-0 in the Match Day 32 of the Nigeria Premier Football League in Benin.
Sarki Ismael scored the only goal of the match and sealed victory for Insurance in the 83rd minute of play at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.
The goal scoring chance was set up by Stanley Okorom who curled a line breaking freekick from 25 yards which Sarki smartly finished off to send the home fans into jubilation.
The tight game as predicted by NPFL followers,had ended goalless in the first half with Insurance strikers being wasteful in front of goal.
Within 51st and 53 minutes of play, Meyiwa Oritseweyimi and Chisom Okereke missed two golden opportunities, raising tension on the side of the host. The Insurance technical bench did not waste time as they made their first substitution, bringing Vincent Okeke in for Chisom Okereke.
In the 78th minute of play, coach Monday Odigie made more substitutions with Meyiwa Oritseweyimi , Evans Ogbonda and Divine Nwachukwu giving way for Austin Ogunye, Stephen Eghonghon and Chukwudi Meze in his search for a goal.
Recall that Heartland FC recorded the same goal margin result against Insurance in their first round encounter in Owerri.
Insurance FC now have 45 points after 32 games and hopes to move up the ladder with the three maximum points before their next game against Sunshine Stars of Akure in the match day 33 which is being postponed by the league management body.
Insurance defence strong man Sunday Anyanwu was voted Man of the Match and went home with the Nigeria Brewery award survenir and N100,000 cash reward.
Meanwhile,Bendel Insurance will be directing their energy and focus on the Federation cup round of 64 match against Stormers SC of Ogun state. The match is scheduled to hold on May 1st at Area 3 in Abuja as the coach of the Federation cup defending champions Monday Odigie in the post match interview has expressed the optimism that his team will get better.
” We will continue to work hard and correct our mistakes. I am happy that the goal came. Insurance is work in progress. You could see that the game was a difficult one for us. It was 50-50.”, Coach Odigie said.
On the other hand,coach Christian Obi came hard on his boys, saying that he was disappointed by their attitude towards the game. ” I don’t know what really happened to my players. They didn’t look like the players I trained for this match. We know Insurance style of play and came with a plan to neutralize them and win but my boys played something different from our plan. Even when I made the substitutions,they that came in fresh continued in the same manner. ” coach Obi reacted.