By Kehinde Osagiede
As the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL)season begins, Bendel Insurance Football club on Sunday, August 24,2025 began their campaigns with a 2-0 defeat to their hosts Elkanemi Warriors.
The match day one encounter began with the hosts invading in their attempt to get an early goal but thanks to goalkeeper Joshua Baba’s brilliant save with Promise Itoro shielding for him to frustrate Elkanemi Warriors forward Mas’ud Danjuma.
The Benin Arsenals sustained the tempo in curtailing the rampaging Warriors to end the first half in a goalless situation.
On resumption of the second half, Insurance continued to absorb the pressure from the host but were unlucky in the 48th minute of the game when the referee awarded a penalty kick to the host, following Israel Odedele’s handball inside the box. Al-Amin Umar stepped forward to calmly convert it to give his side the lead.
The hosts got the second goal through Daddy Abdulramhan in the 65th minute after being left unchallenged by Henry Onyia and Itoro Promise who expected to hear the referee:s whistle for an offside position.
In the 70 and 75 minutes of the game,Coach Greg Ikhenoba made three changes in his search for improved attack and a goal, bringing on Tobi Iyanda and Onochie Chukwu to replace Ibrorie Idiebiru and Isaac Omijie who made premier league and Insurance FC debut at the Elkanemi stadium. Shortly, Elmer Arunta was also introduced to the game in the place of Osayande Austin.
The changes however took effect immediately on the performance of the Benin Arsenals as they took the battle to the gates of their hosts but it was already too late even as the hosts were reduced to 10 men after their captain Zayad Musa was sent off for a rough and dangerous tackle on Odedele Israel in the 72nd minute of the game. The Warriors absorbed the pressure till the final whistle.
Bendel Insurance FC will be hosts to Shooting Stars of Ibadan in the match day two next weekend.
Speaking during the post match interview, the Head Coach of the Benin Arsenals Greg Ikhenoba congratulated coach Kabiru Dogo led Elkabemi Warriors for a deserved victory.
He admitted that the hosts played very well. ‘ They played very well,they are a good side and deserved the victory. We will go back and work on the grey areas ahead of our next match. Definitely, we are going to bounce back. The league just started, everything is still fresh. I’m impressed with the officiating. Fair one.” He said.
On the other hand, coach Kabiru Dogo of Elkanemi Warriors said it was a good start for his team to get 3 points in their first game against Bendel Insurance that have not lost in Maiduguri for the past three seasons. He dedicated the victory to the home fans who came out enmass to cheer them up.
” Let me congratulate our team for a job well done. It was a good start for us winning our first match of the season in front of our fans. I dedicate the victory to the home fans.” He said.
