📸: Adeniyi Muyiwa
In a pulsating 90 minutes of action at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Bendel Insurance crept to a slim win over Association Sportive Olympique de Chlef.
The encounter ended 1-0, and the scoreline paints a perfect picture of the encounter, with the Benin Arsenal being less adventurous throughout the game.
In a game of such magnitude, the importance of defeating your opponent by an irrecoverable scoreline cannot be overemphasized.
However, Bendel Insurance were on many occasions profligate in front of goal, and also not as daring as they should have been playing on their home turf.
ASO Chlef were tactical in their approach, and conceding only a goal in Nigeria, despite losing, was welcomed amazingly.
On many occasions, Nigerian sides have travelled to the home turf of their North African oppositions in a CAF club competition leading by a slim margin, but subsequently, get whopped in the return leg.
Bendel Insurance supporters will be hoping that their team can go all the way to secure qualification to the next round.
Despite being resolute, the Benin Arsenal looked like they were a team of a selected pool of players rather than a team stacked with quality.
CAF club competitions are not an experimental ground, given how vital victories are, and as such coach Monday Odigie should head into matches with his full armour.
It seemed like the introduction of Kelly Kester offered Tamara Ezekiel enough freedom to create great opportunities.
Tamara, who was sublime throughout the entire duration of the game had initially been paired in a double midfield pivot.
For Bendel Insurance to record an impressive win in the return leg, it seems like Tamara Ezekiel should be given enough freedom to play in a position that would ease him of some defensive responsibilities.
As earlier expressed, clinicality must not be taken for granted, but to be clinical, opportunities must be created.
The burden of goals seemingly rests on the shoulders of Imade Osarenkhoe, and on his off days, it seems the team might be bound to the Philistines.
Bendel Insurance must make necessary reinforcements in attack and also be a free-scoring side, in which almost every player in the team can produce goals.