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By Abiodun Adewale.
Ahead of their Federation Cup quarter-final tie against Bendel Insurance on Sunday (today), Sunshine Stars coach, Edith Agoye, believes his team could inflict the first defeat of the season on their opponents when they meet in Akwa, Anambra state, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Bendel Insurance have become the team to beat in the country, following their incredible run in the Nigeria Professional Football League which saw them end the regular season unbeaten after 18 games. The Benin Arsenal also finished on top of their group which included the likes of former league champions, Enyimba, Akwa United, Plateau United, 3SC among others.
As attention turns to the Federation Cup, the two sides meet for the first time this season, with a place in the semi-final up for grabs before they potentially meet again in the Super 6 playoffs of the NPFL.
Agoye, who also led Sunshine Stars to a top-three finish in their group to qualify for the Super 6 is eyeing a scalp of the three-time winners, as he hopes to lead Sunshine Stars to their first ever piece of silverware in his first season in charge.
“Insurance are a good side. To have gone 18-game and even more without a defeat is not an easy thing to do. But we are committed to our objectives as well and that is to go as far as we can in every game. We are ready for the game,” Agoye said.
The quarter-final game seems like the biggest test yet for both sides in the Federation Cup. Enroute to this stage, Sunshine Stars saw off Basira FC of Nasarawa, Standard FC of Kaduna and EFCC FC of Abuja while Bendel Insurance defeated ABS, Ahudiya FC and Heartland to set up the clash.
The last time both teams met was on May 20, 2019, also during an abridged NPFL season with insurance claiming a 1-0 victory in Benin after the first leg ended 1-1 in Akure.