By Daily Sports on February 5, 2019

Bendel Insurance FC of Benin produced a battling ram of a performance to see off visiting defending champions of the Nigeria professional league Lobi Stars 1-0 at their UNIBEN Sports Complex home in Benin City on Monday, February 4.

It what was a very largely entertaining affair, Insurance deservedly won courtesy of a sweeping move midway in the second half through warhorse Captain Charles Omokaro who tapped into a gaping net off a fine cross from strike partner Junior Osaghae who beat his man for pace to the byline before reliving inch perfectly for his skipper.

From the blast of the whistle Insurance made their intent clear. Coming into this match enmeshed in relegation waters after garnering only three points in the first four games, Insurance were in no mood to fear the defending champions and immediately swooped on them after kick off. Some unbelievably near misses stood between Insurance and a first half lead as they had only the Lobi ’keeper to beat but seemed to freeze win it looked easier to score.

The turn up of fans for this match was high at the UNIBEN Sports Complex given the profile of the opponents and Insurance fans were hoping their team would raise their performance above the dour showing in their first home game against Kwara United which was a damp squib that ended scoreless. The Insurance players duly obliged and while they struggled to string passes together against Kwara, they were more fluid this time against Lobi.

Lobi looked solid in some spells but largely theirs was a disappointing performance.

The Makurdi side had looked to come to curtail Insurance with a defensive performance that relied on counter attacks to snatch at least a point. But for too many times they were cut open by Insurance attacks and should be grateful not to have lost by a larger margin.

In the second half, Lobi Stars sought to stifle Insurance twin attack of Omokaro and Osaghae by withdrawing defensive midfielder Otakho into a central defensive position in what looked a back three. While this was successful at times, it led to Lobi submitting acres of space in front of their 18-yard-box and it was only a matter of time before Insurance profited from this; and they did.

Veteran coach Solomon Ogbeide was leading his Lobi side to his Benin City hometown and would have loved to prove a point to his people, but his players proved a point was even beyond them, not to talk off three against Insurance.

Source Daily Sports

Posted February 5, 2019

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