Bendel Insurance Football Club clinched a long-awaited away win on Sunday with a 2-1 victory over Sunshine Stars in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Match Day 10 fixture.
The victory, their first away win in two seasons, marked a turning point for the Benin Arsenals, who have been striving to regain momentum.
The game saw Insurance strike first through Kayode Oke, who broke the deadlock in the 17th minute, setting his side on course to reverse their recent misfortunes. The goal injected confidence into the team, which had recently faced a tough stretch with an away loss followed by their first home defeat of the season, a 3-0 loss to Ikorodu City and a subsequent 1-0 loss to Abia Warriors.
However, Sunshine Stars responded late in the first half, as Sodiq Ibrahim equalized in the 44th minute. Bendel Insurance reclaimed the lead in the second half when Nnamdi Anthony delivered a decisive strike in the 60th minute, securing the victory and breaking their away game drought.
In the days leading up to the game, the Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Olympian Yussuf Alli, had urged the team to set aside recent disappointments and focus on a strong performance against Sunshine Stars. Addressing the team at their Wednesday evening training session, he acknowledged the frustration of recent results but encouraged them to “put the thoughts of the home defeat to Abia Warriors behind you and concentrate on your next match at Ijebu-Ode.” He also reinforced his message with an undisclosed financial motivation.
Following the win, Alli expressed satisfaction, saying, “I’m happy now. I am a sportsman and I know what it is when one fails to get what they want in sports. Bendel Insurance can go far. We have a good coach, the boys are good but need concentration and welfare. In the midseason, we are going to fortify the team”
He continued, “I am happy the boys rose up to the occasion because I told them I cannot come to the field to play; the Governor and deputy cannot come to the field of play. They are the soldiers to do the job, and they must have confidence in themselves and deliver. I congratulate Edo people, the fans, and supporters”.
Alli acknowledged concerns about the team’s inconsistent performances, stating, “I must tell you the truth that we are not happy with the results we are getting. There is a growing concern by stakeholders about our performance and current situation in the league. We have done all that is required for you to succeed, and it is not showing”.
Despite these concerns, Alli reinforced his belief in the team’s potential, saying, “We want to believe that soon, we will rise above the challenges and find our rhythm and winning mentality. Don’t feel despair but continue to work hard and avoid distractions. You guys are good; it is just little mistakes we are making that are affecting us, and we can correct them”.
This win signals a positive step for Bendel Insurance, who will return to Benin with renewed confidence as they aim to build on their performance in the league.
