Bendel Insurance coach, Greg Ikhenoba, has expressed delight after his team clinched their first win of the season with a dramatic late strike against Niger Tornadoes in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Match Day 4, platinumnewsng.com is reporting.
Insurance, who had struggled in their opening three fixtures —2-0 defeat to Elkanemi Warriors of Maiduguri, 1-1 home draw to Shooting Stars Sports Club and 1-1 draw away to newcomers, Barau Football Club —secured a much-needed 1–0 victory at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on Sunday, September 14, thanks to Emmanuel Israel’s 93rd-minute goal.
“A big thanks to the boys, they all played to instructions, fought a good fight, and I hope that if we continue this way, the sky will be our limit,” Ikhenoba told reporters at the post-match presser.
The coach praised his players’ resilience, stressing that the game is never over until the referee’s final whistle.
“Football is played until the final whistle, you don’t stop playing. I had the confidence that something would happen, and I am happy it eventually came to be.”
Ikhenoba also provided injury updates on midfielder, Alex and goalkeeper Joshua Baba, who were left out of the clash.
“Alex got a knock in Maiduguri, and he’s going through medical attention, the same as Baba, who had a sprain in his thigh before departing for Kano. You don’t want to take a risk if you are playing a big game like this, you need to be 100% fit to be on the field. They are fine and I think with time, they will get back in the squad,” he quipped.
Looking ahead, the coach assured fans that Insurance is still a “work in progress” and improvements will come with time.
“For those who care to listen, we are a work in progress, we keep trying to improve on lapses and by the grace of God, we will go back to the drawing board, keep working hard and put the boys through so the goals can keep coming. Sometimes, football is like that, but when the goals start coming, everyone will be happy,” he added.
The result lifted the Benin Arsenal to 10th place on the log with five points, pending completion of the other nine matches on Sunday, September 14, across the country.
Up next for Bendel Insurance is an away engagement with Enyimba International in Aba.