By USMAN ALIYU

Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin on Sunday beat Enyimba International FC of Aba 1-0 to end their first round campaign in the 2022/2023 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) unbeaten.

Imade Isarenkhoe’s strike in the 23rd minute was all the Group A leaders needed to claim all three points in the Match Day 9 fixture at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.

The visiting Enyimba came into the game hoping to reduce the hosts’ four-point lead, with the hosts on 20 points in their group in the abridged league.

Bendel Insurance pushed for more goals to solidify their lead in the second half of the match, but the Peoples’ Elephant were too solid to allow for more.

In a post-match interview, Finidi George, the Head Coach of Enyimba, said while the game was a good one it was rather unfortunate that his team lost

“It was a good game. Both teams wanted the points. We gave our all, but it was unfortunate that we conceded that goal in the first half and that ended the game 1-0.

“It is a lesson for us, but I think on the overall, our players did so well. I am proud of them.

“Now we need to get some rest and then start to prepare for the second stanza,” the ex-Nigeria forward said.

George however rated his team’s opponents very high in spite of their appearing in the Nigerian apex league competition for the first time since being relegated in 2019.

“They are doing so well. We know what they are capable of. They are a young team.

“They fight for every ball. That is their motto. I will put it that way.

“I must commend them, a team coming from the lower league and doing well. We have to commend them,” the former Ajax Amsterdam FC player said. (NAN)

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