By Rosemary Okoduwa
Bendel Insurance Football Club kicked off their Edo FA Cup title defense on Thursday with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Restoration FC in a second-round match at the Crescent Club mini stadium in Benin.
The Benin Arsenals, who were without their first-choice players due to their recent NPFL clash against Enyimba FC, found themselves trailing 1-0 at halftime courtesy of Restoration FC’s stunning 14th-minute goal.
However, the introduction of fresh legs and a tactical switch by coach Greg Ikhenoba in the second half paid dividends. Former Sunshine Stars midfielder Osahon Osobo equalized for Bendel Insurance in the 68th minute, canceling out Restoration FC’s first-half goal.
With the score tied at 1-1, the Benin Arsenals continued to push for the winner. Their persistence paid off five minutes from time, as Chinedu Onyejiekwe scored the decisive goal to seal a hard-fought 2-1 victory for Bendel Insurance.
The win sets up a fascinating quarterfinal showdown between Bendel Insurance and their Feeders team on Friday morning at the same Crescent Club mini stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 AM.
In an interesting twist, Bendel Insurance Feeders had defeated St. Andrews Foundation FC 2-1 in the second round of the 2025 Edo FA Cup tournament on Monday, with Miracle Oshodin scoring twice to secure the win.
Last season, Bendel Insurance Feeders were eliminated by their senior counterparts at the same quarterfinal stage. They will be seeking revenge when the two teams clash on Friday.
Will Bendel Insurance’s senior team continue their dominance, or will their Feeders team pull off a stunning upset? The stage is set for an intriguing encounter between the two teams.