By Rosemary Okoduwa
The 2023 Federation Cup champions, Bendel Insurance FC, are set to begin their FA Cup campaign against Dandidi Babes FC, a relatively unknown team from Jigawa state, in the round of 64. The match is scheduled to take place at the Lafia City stadium in Nasarawa state on Wednesday morning, with a kickoff time of 10:00 AM.
After suffering a narrow defeat to Abia Warriors on Sunday evening in the Nigeria Premier Football League, the Coach Greg Ikhenoba-led team flew to Lafia on Monday morning to prepare for the FA Cup challenge.
This will be the first meeting between Bendel Insurance FC and Dandidi Babes FC. The Benin Arsenals, currently sitting in 9th position on the NPFL league table, will be looking to bounce back from their recent defeat and make a strong statement in the FA Cup.
Captain Meyiwa Oritseweyinmi expressed the team’s determination to succeed in the FA Cup, stating, “We know that the Federation Cup is a different ball game, but we’re not going to leave any stone unturned. We got the Confederation Cup ticket in 2023 through the FA Cup, so we’re not going to joke with it. We’re taking it as a final game.”
With the FA Cup providing an opportunity for the team to redeem themselves and potentially secure a continental ticket, Bendel Insurance FC is poised to give it their all against the underdog Dandidi Babes FC.