Bendel Insurance team’s journey in the ongoing NPFL Clubs Under 15 Promises Tournament came to an end at the quarter finals stage,yesterday in Abuja after a one all draw with Katsina Utd, sports247.ng learns
Kehinde Osagiede who made the news available to newsmen said the Benin Arsenal kids began the tournament earlier in the month with excellent performance, winning all their four matches at the group stage at Enugu zonal center.
They again started the quarter finals group B games by defeating Akwa Utd by a lone goal and succumbed to Delta Force by same goal margin before Katsina Utd forced them to a 1-1 draw to pick four points which were not enough to cross to the semifinals.
Katsina Utd and Delta Force are the two teams qualified from the group to the semifinals after they finished with five points each.
Akwa Utd who also crashed out of the tournament with one point lost to Katsina Utd 4-0 in their second match before pulling a draw with Delta Force.
Insurance performance at the quarter finals in Abuja could be traced to the effect of another round of boardroom screening by the organizing NPFL officials which depleted the 23 man team.
It was alleged that Katsina Utd were given preferential treatment as they were allowed to admit fresh players unscreened by the organizing committee which did not go down well with other teams after subjecting their already screened players to another round of screening at the middle of the tournament.
Meanwhile, five of Insurance players have been picked for the NPFL-Laliga all stars national team with two of them making Laliga team for Europe tour.
