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By Abiodun Adewale.
Bendel Insurance’s invincible run continues in the 2022/23 abridged Nigeria Professional Football League, following a 1-1 draw against Remo Stars in Ikenne on Sunday, The PUNCH reports.
Divine Nwachukwu’s 20th-minute goal ensured a share of spoils on the road for the Benin Arsenal again after Franck Kwame had put the hosts up in the 16th minute.
The game opened up with the hosts pulling the strings as early as possible and the first chance was an Ifeanyi Anaemena’s header which was parried over the bar by Amas Obasogie in the 7th minute.
Remo’s persistence paid off 16 minutes into the game courtesy of Kwame’s glancing header off a flick from captain Junior Nduka.
Insurance however responded four minutes later through Nwachukwu, who slotted home from a well-worked free-kick which was executed by Ebuka Akobundu.
After the break, Remo Stars piled more pressure on the visitors but couldn’t break their resistance even as Insurance also had their moments to upset the hosts.
Midway through the second half, Seun Odunsi went down inside the Insurance box in a contest with Ebuka Akobundu but the referee was unmoved by his penalty appeal.
The game went into 10 minutes of additional time and despite the sustained pressure from Remo Stars, they couldn’t muster anything to break Insurance who held on to pick another point on the road and also extend their unbeaten run to 14 matches.
Despite five consecutive draws, Bendel Insurance remain top of Group A with 28 points from 14 matches and they are one more game away from matching the NPFL unbeaten record of 15 games which was set by Akwa United in 2021. Their next game is at home against struggling El-Kanemi Warriors on match-day 15.
Meanwhile, the battle for survival and top-three continues with other decisive Group A games.
In Akure, Chijioke Mboama scored a brace as eight-time champions, Enyimba inflicted a 2-1 home defeat on Kwara United to climb back into the top-three. The People’s Elephants leapfrogged into second place with 24 points after Akwa United were beaten by Plateau United 1-0 in Jos.
In Group B, NPFL debutants, Doma United continued their stride into the play-offs position after compounding Wikki Tourists woes with a 2-0 win in Gombe. The Savannah Tigers are now temporarily in second place with 22 points from 14 matches.
Bayelsa United also steered clear of the relegation waters thanks to a 3-0 thrashing of table toppers Lobi Stars in Yenagoa. The game between Enugu Rangers and Niger Tornadoes ended 2-2 in Awka, leaving both sides hanging with their respective ambitions.