Bendel Insurance resurrected from the dead to earn a deserved draw in the second match of the Nigeria National League Super 4 on Friday night.
Ebuka Akobundu’s 88th-minute thunder strike gave the Benin Arsenal – the better side of the game the leveller to drag the title decider into the last day of the tournament.
Bendel Insurance in their usual element started the game brightly and had a couple of chances to fall their path in the first half, but lack of a clinical finish was their undoing in the game they could have led by 3-0 in the first 20 minutes.
Imade with a miss in the 7th and 22nd minute and a ball denied by the upright in the 15th were the closest Insurance got in the first half, but they couldn’t convert the chances. El-Kanemi also had a good chance to put one past Insurance in the 41st minute, but Amas Obasogie did well to deny the opponents from wreaking havoc as the two teams settled for a draw in the first half.
The second half was a half of the two sides with most of the actions taking place at the centre of the field. Monday Odigie made three changes withdrawing Imade Osehenkhoe, Sarki Ishmael and Taiwo Oripelaye out for Austin Ogunye, Divine Nwachukwu and Ebenezer Odeyemi to boost the attack. Divine Nwachukwu and Austin Ogunye made quick impacts with pressure piled on the El-Kanemi defence.
El-Kanemi took charge of the play in the 70th minute and they almost got a goal but Amas was quick to the rescue. Both coaches made other substitutions to further boost their frontline in the 73rd minute. The tactical changes yielded positive results; first, for El-Kanemi Warriors as they got their goal in the 80th minute – A beautiful build-up from the backline fell in the path of, he dressed his ball near the edge of Insurance’s box and hit a low shot that zoomed past helpless Amas Obasogie.
Just when the fourth official was preparing the 2 minutes of additional time, Austin Ogunye from between three markers set Divine Nwachukwu up with a through ball, the dreadlocked midfielder with one touch cross from the left flank, sent in a square to the way of Ebuka Akobundu who immediately released a thunder strike shot that blitzed past a motionless David Obiazor and roared to jubilation. Two minutes later, the Imo state centre referee signalled the end of the game with no victor no vanquish.
The Super Four ends tomorrow as Bayelsa United hosts El-Kanemi Warriors at 2 pm before Bendel Insurance will take on Doma United at 4 pm.