By Rosemary Okoduwa
Bendel Insurance Football Club delivered a thrilling performance on Thursday evening, defeating Ikorodu City of Lagos 2-1 in the match day 26 of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).
After a goalless first half, right-back Stanley Okorom broke the deadlock in the 51st minute with a long-range shot that proved too hot for Ikorodu goalkeeper Faith James to handle.
However, the celebration was short-lived as Shola Adelani equalized for the visitors just two minutes later with a well-taken free kick.
Bendel Insurance had squandered several scoring opportunities in the first half, including a flying header from Meyinwa Oritseweyinmi in the 10th minute.
Undeterred, the Benin Arsenals continued to press forward, with midfielder Osahon Osobo dictating the pace of the game. Osobo’s persistence paid off in the 69th minute when his beautifully crafted pass found Uche Collins, who restored Bendel Insurance’s lead and sealed the 2-1 victory.
The win propelled Bendel Insurance up the NPFL table to 8th place with 38 points. Next, they face Bayelsa United in match day 27 on Sunday.
In a post-match interview, Bendel Insurance head coach Greg Ikhenoba praised his team’s resilience. “We anticipated a tough game against Ikorodu City, given their previous win over us. However, we prepared well and rose to the occasion. Although we missed several chances, we’re grateful for the result. We’ll continue to work on our mistakes as we prepare for the next match.”