Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin held Enyimba to a goalless draw in the Matchday 19 played on 2025 New year eve, Sports247 reports.
The Benin Arsenals started the match day 19 game on a good footing, looking comfortable and confident against the hosts,the People’s Elephants of Aba.
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Vincent Okeke who started in the attack in place of Kayode Oke who picked up a knee injury during the warmup session, became a thorn in the flesh of the People’s Elephants as the pacy striker kept penetrating into the area but wasted several scoring chances good enough to bring down the Elephants in the first half of the game.
The former champions Enyimba FC on the other hand stepped up their game in the second half after their new manager Stanley Eguma had made some changes as they continued to mount pressure on the Benin Arsenals but Goalkeeper Joshua Baba and the defense line led by Stanley Okorom and Julius Emiloju were good enough to absorb the pressure from the Elephants, forcing the game into a goalless stalemate.
Meanwhile, the confidence the management of Bendel Insurance FC have had on their stand-in Head Coach Greg Ikhenoba since the resignation of former Technical Director Coach Monday Odigie, is already yielding fruits as he has succeeded in guiding the Benin Arsenal out of the relegation zone , staying afloat off the relegation waters after the end of the first stanza.
Coach Greg Ikhenoba began the push for safety of the Bendel Insurance in the Nigeria Premier Football League(NPFL) immediately after the resignation of his former boss on November 17 in Enugu, following their 3-2 loss to the Flying Antelopes at the Cathedral with a convincing triumph over Kwara Utd.
The Benin Arsenals started gaining stability and recovery under coach Greg Ikhenoba with a convincing 3-1 victory over Kwara Utd in the Match day 13 in Benin.
The team lost 2-1 to Nasarawa Utd on Matchday 14 in Lafia before a 2-1 victory over Plateau Utd in week 15 at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium.
Coach Ikhenoba led the team to two consecutive 1-1 draws with Akwa Utd and Heartland FC,in a double away fixture,followed by a 1-0 victory over Lobi Stars in the week 18 in Benin on Saturday, December 21.
Insurance FC wrapped up the NPFL first round with a 0-0 draw with Enyimba FC in a difficult terrain
In the post match interview,Head Coach of Bendel Insurance Greg Ikhenoba expressed the confidence that Bendel Insurance FC will come back smoky in the second round of the league.
On his team’s performance at Aba,he noted Enyimba and other big teams in the league are beatable. He said that the away point was important and has helped the team to safe zone.
“Our problem actually started with the 1-0 loss to Kano Pillars in Benin plus the deducted 3 points punishment that followed.”
“I am happy now that we ended the year well. We were capable of getting the maximum points against Enyimba but we wasted a lot of chances before our opponents recovered in the second half. They also wasted chances and were also unlucky.”
“That is the game of football,if you don’t convert your chances when they come it becomes difficult. So,we are going back home happy with the point and to begin preparation for the second round.” He said.
