Bendel Insurance’s Dream of Returning to the NPFL Hangs in the Balance

Faces tricky last Group B fixture against Remo Stars today

Bendel Insurance’s hope of returning to Nigeria’s top flight NP FL received a last minute shock yesterday as Ekiti United scored an 89th minute equalizing penalty at the ongoing Nigeria National League (NNL) Super 8 Playoff in Enugu.

Now, with just one point from two matches, Insurance are condemned to beating Remo Stars by three unreplied goals to stand any chance of picking one of the two tickets from Group B of the playoff.

Both Remo and 3SC are tied on four points apiece going into the last Group B matches today.

The Sagamu-based Remo are on top of the log as a result of superior goal difference (plus 3) advantage over Shooting Stars (plus 1).

Insurance are third on the log, although they have one point just like Ekiti United.

The Benin-based team have a minus one-goal difference as against minus three-goal difference by Ekiti United.

Insurance were cruising to picking their first three points of the play with Imade coming from the bench to score the goal deep into the second half.

However, sloppy defending by Insurance central defenders resulted in one of the players handling the ball in the box in the 89th minute. E ki ti tucked the resultant spot kick into the far right corner for the equalizer.

The added two minutes had barely ran out when the centre referee ended the game. Angry Insurance fans however expressed their displeasure with the manner of officiating witnessed during the game.

In Group A, the duo of Niger Tornado es and G om be United are already sure of promotion with four points apiece while the DMD can cause upset if they defeat ElKanemi by as much as four goals should any of Tornado es and Gombe United lose their last game.