Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin, on Thursday defeated visiting Plateau Utd 2-1 to secure three maximum points at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.
Sarki Ismael and Imade Osarenkhoe scored a goal apiece in the second half of the tension soaked game to keep Insurance in prime position in the group A of the Nigeria Premier Football League 2023 season.
Insurance FC left it late to get dramatic 2-1 victory over the hard fighting Plateau United in the Nigeria Premier Football week two encounter when Julius Emiloju curled a free kick from the left flank which met Imade Osarenkhoe in the right position and swiftly rose above Plateau defenders and headed home the winner in the 92nd minute to send their fans into wild jubilation.
The match which lived up to its pre match hype looked destined to end in 1-1 stalemate when the centre referee punished Insurance FC defence strongman Benjamin Tanimu for a hard tackle in the 90th minute of the game which Christopher Nwaeze converted neatly to cancel Sarki’s 52nd minute goal for Insurance.
The hosts picked up the pieces as they continued with their determination to win and their efforts paid off in the second minute of the added four minutes when Imade Osarenkhoe header home the dramatic match winner in to frustrate the highly experienced visitors from Jos.
Recall that Bendel Insurance FC shocked former league champions Akwa United 2-0 in the first match of the new season in Uyo on the 8th of January and are now comfortable in Group A with six points. They will be preparing for away tie against Kwara Utd in the week three clash in Ibadan on Sunday.
