From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin’s desire to return to the elite Premier League got a boost on Wednesday as the Club moved 7 points clear on top of Group B1 of the Nigeria National League (NNL) after beating Gateway United of Abeokuta 4 -0 at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium Benin, in a rescheduled week 18 match.
The host team took charge of the game early as they were awarded a penalty in the 5th minute. However the penalty was saved by the goalkeeper, but Sodje Stephen converted a rebound to give Insurance the early lead.
The visitors committed a goal in the 30th minute, following more pressure from Insurance before Saraki Sloted in from close range in the 34th minute, as Gateway struggled to clear a corner kick to end the first half 3-0 in favour of Insurance.
At the resumption of the second half, both teams tried to register their presence in front of the goal, but it took till the 78th minute before Echeter Deputy sloted a shot from outside the 18-yard box to make it 4 for the home team.
Speaking with newsmen after the victory, Edo State acting governor, Philip Shaibu, expressed joy that with the win, “we have opened a gap on the table that can take us to NPFL, and I am happy that all the efforts we have been putting in are yielding results, technically we are there, and that is what Edo people have been waiting for. Bendel Insurance actually do no belong to NNL, and we are happy we are going to join our mates in terms of football, the likes of Rangers and Kano pillars, I am excited and happy.”
On future plans, if Insurance maintains the lead to the NPFL, Shaibu said “our players are good and good enough for the NPFL. Our target is to be the factory that produces players for the country, and you can see today, 4 of our Bendel Insurance feeder team players featured in this match. That is our plan, to keep discovering players and grooming young ones. But if there is a need to buy players to fortify the team, that is the coach’s decision and we will buy, but be rest assured that we will continue to discover and develop talents for the nation.”