Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin have been crowned champions of the 2022 Nigeria National League after a deserved 2-1 win over Doma United Football Club of Gombe State in the league ending Super 4 tournament.
The Benin Arsenals who finished as Group B1 leaders in the southern conference of the abridged regular season on June 12,2022 with 49 points to secure promotion to the Nigeria Professional Football League(NPFL), indeed finished the season well as overall best in the second tier league after an unbeam run in the Super Four Tournament which held in Yenagoa,Bayelsa state.
Bendel Insurance FC were a delight throughout the Super 4 which had other three promoted NNL clubs -Bayelsa United,Elkanelmi Worriors and Doma Utd FC in contention for the title as they lifted the trophy with 7 points after a three day actions without rest. They pipped Bayelsa Utd 1-0 on their first match and pulled a 1-1 draw with Elkanelmi Warriors and defeated Doma FC 2-1 on the final day to emerged champions.
Meanwhile,Bayelsa United who made it easy for Insurance on the final day of the Super 4,finished in the 2nd spot after spanking El-Kanemi Warriors 2-0 in their last fixture, leaving Elkanelmi Warriors and Doma FC in 3nd in the 3rd and 4th positions respectively.
On the final match against Doma Utd FC Bendel Insurance took the lead in the 38th minute courtesy of Austin Ogunye’s header after connecting Julius Emiloju’s fascinating cross from the left flank .
The Benin Arsenal were destabilised as their opponents got an equalizer in the 55th minute after a miscalculation of back pass by Amas Obasogie in the 18-yard box.
Coach Monday Odigie led Insurance woke up from their slumber when fantastic Divine Nwachukwu picked up a fine pass from Maurice Prince in the opponents’ half and raced through the left flank and delivered a potential pull out into the box to connect energetic substitute Ebenezer Odeyemi who promptly jabbed in the winner for Insurance in the 69th-minute.
