NPFL Wk 6: Gwombe United forces Bendel Insurance to barren draw at Ogbemudia Stadium

By Kingsley Abavo, Benin

The Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin (Benin Arsenal) were on Saturday, February 4, 2023 forced to a barren draw at home ground: the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City in the week six fixture of the Nigeria Premier Football League.

Away from home; Gwombe United 6th on the table effectively checkmated Bendel Insurance who sits on top of the table in the NPFL, after winning their last five matches without dropping any point.

The turn out of the game was against all expectations that the home Team will extend their unbeaten run and exciting performances since the kickoff of the season in Uyo; where they defeated former League champions Akwa United 2-0 in front of their fans.

Some followers of the Benin Team in their reactions believe that the fixtures congestion could be a factor that have affected the scoring ability of the boys who have been extraordinary since the League commenced.

The result, though may not be good enough for the Insurance it however keeps the Team on top of the group A Premier league table with 16 points from six games.

Insurance had earlier on Wednesday pipped El-Kanemi Warriors in Maiduguri 1-0 to get 15 points and they will be on the road to Ibadan to engage in week 7 battle with the Shooting Stars FC Wednesday, this week.

The Team will also be having two home games before the end of the first stanza of the current football season. They are expected to host Nasarawa Utd and Enyimba FC of Aba in week eight and nine fixtures.

The week six game kicked off in Benin with both teams wearing black armband and a minute of silence observed in honour of the late referee Dr. Kingsley Eneogwe who died in an accident on his way back home after officiating in the game between Nasarawa United Vs Plateau United last Wednesday.

The Benin Arsenals have been outstanding in their performances since the beginning of the season with a 2-0 away victory in Uyo against Akwa Utd, 2-1 victory against Plateau Utd in Benin and 1-0 win over Kwara Utd and 3-0 win over highly rated Remo Stars in Benin in week four before going to Maiduguri to pip El-Kanemi Warriors in week five engagement last Wednesday.

In the week six game in Benin, for the home Team; Insurance FC, Deputy Echeta donning jersey number 8 was outstanding and a beauty to watch. He was a workaholic, skillful and fast in his moves coordinating affairs in the midfield.

Meanwhile, the Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation Austin Eguavoen and the super Eagles manager Jose Peisero both watched the game till the end.

At the end of hostilities, the game remained goalless as the hard fighting visitors: Gwombe United effectively checkmated the occasional incursion of the Benin Arsenals into their vital area; relying heavily on the counter attack.

In an interview with journalists, the coach of Gwombe United, Aliu Zubairu expressed satisfaction with the game outcome; saying it was a very vital point his boys have earned in Benin.

“The game outcome today is going to motivate my boys for the fact that it is against a Team that has not dropped a point since the League began.

On the boys’ performance, he said it was good but at one time, they failed to play to instructions given them “because we always want to capitalize on the counter attack, soak up the pressure then we will move to attack in numbers.

“I noticed that at a time in the game they were not doing it. I think that was the only deficiency in the game. But all the same, it was a good game.”

Coach Zubairu asserts that the game in Benin will be an energizer for his boys against their next opponent, Eyimba FC of Aba saying: “I don’t think there will be any opposition that will be stronger than Insurance as it is. So far, the teams have played, we know Eyimba is a big team but we are going to prepare for them accordingly.”