In what was a dominant performance, we picked our first ever win in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and the first at home as well after hitting three unrelated goals past Bendel Insurance on match day six of the NPFL 2024/2025.

In the absence of a head coach due to the resignation of Bright Ozebagbe, assistant coaches Nurudeen Aweroro, Ali Kandil, Bello Adebayo and Sheriff Salami took charge of the team.

Five changes from the trip to Jos were made. Aina was in goal for the first time this season for his NPFL debut. Tosin and Ayo Cole didn’t travel to Jos but were in the starting team for this one. Leonard and Alade who made the bench in the previous game got the nod to start this time.

LINE UP: Aina Oluwadamilare; Waliu Ojetoye, Harrison Uzondu, Chibuike Oheagbulam, Leonard Ngenge; Kelechi Onwe, Tosin Oyedokun, Rivio Ayemwenre; Alade Solomon, Emmanuel Solomon and Ayomide Cole.

The start to the game had nerves in it but was quickly settled as we controlled the game, keeping possession and asking questions within the first quarter and half hour. Ayomide Cole first dragged a close range attempt wide before Rivio went cleanly round the keeper but his effort was cleared off the line.

More questions were asked in the final ten minutes of the opening half with Emmanuel Solomon forcing the keeper to a fine save off a strike and Tosin after being found by Emmanuel scored in the 40th minute but was ruled out for offside as the first half ended in a stalemate.

The second half started like the first ended and it took only three minutes into it for our opening goal. Waliu stated a mazy run from midfield, gliding past two Bendel defenders all the way to the byline and sending a deep cross that was met by the second post by Rivio’s header to put us in the lead.

Six minutes later, Kelechi added a second for his first goal in the NPFL. A long throw from Tosin was flicked goal wards by the midfielder and the goalkeeper lost control as the ball crept into the goal to double our lead.

Cruising at this point, Bendel Insurance tried to respond forcing Aina into a sharp low save from a well taken free kick. Emmanuel Solomon was forced off due to injury to be replaced by Ajeyigbe Toyeeb for his first game this season and NPFL debut.

Ajeyigbe Toyeeb took only ten minutes to make his mark. A long cross from Waliu was fumbled by the keeper and nicked off Rivio as he was about to strike but it fell kindly for Toyeeb who still had work to do. Ajeyigbe took away the goalkeeper and rifled one into the top of the net for our third goal of the game.

Chineme Chinonso and Gidado Toyeeb came on in the last ten minutes for Ayomide Cole and Alade Solomon before Tosin Oyedokun was withdrawn in stoppage time for Adewale Adebayo for his NPFL debut as we finished as 3-0 winners, a first win in the NPFL, the first at home and a clean sheet for Aina.

UP NEXT

A midweek trip to Owerri to face Heartland FC awaits the lad for MD7 on Thursday 17th October 2024 and the back home on MD8 at the weekend to face Lobi Stars on Sunday 20th October.

SUBSTITUTES 

OUT: Emmanuel Solomon IN: Toyeeb Ajeyigbe 62’ 

OUT: Ayomide Cole IN: Chineme Chinonso 80’

OUT: Alade Solomon  IN: Gidado Toyeeb 80’

OUT: Tosin Oyedokun  IN: Adewale Adebayo 90+4’

BOOKINGS

Yellow

Kelechi Onwe- 62’

Chibuike Oheagbulam- 68’

Aina Oluwadamilare- 82’