NPFL MD5: Odigie Promises Reinforcement As Insurance FC, Akwa Utd Share Points In Beni
As the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Match Day Five game, involving Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin and Akwa Utd ended in a goalless stalemate in Benin on Saturday, the Benin Arsenals’ Technical Director and head coach Monday Odigie has assured that the team will soon bounce back to winning ways, insisting that the club is still in the process of rebuilding after the exit of some key players.
Coach Odigie was speaking during the post-match interview with journalists at the media centre of the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium, Benin.
He revealed that reinforcement in the attack of the Benin Arsenals is imminent, saying that some of the key players on the injury list and the new strikers will soon be available to help the reigning FA Cup champions out of the current goal drought situation.
Coach Odigie however commended his boys’ show of commitment and fighting spirit despite the poor result.
” We are not happy that we didn’t win to have three points here. We made a mistake in Gombe and it cost us. We know that we have problems in our attack, but we will continue to work on the areas until some other quality strikers can start playing. The league just started and I am sure we will be better as we continue to correct areas we have issues.” Coach Odigie said.
Insurance started the match day five, looking brilliant and good to secure all three points, Tamara Ezekiel, Paul Obata and Evans Ogbonda got close to scoring in the first half but the visitors who have been struggling since the beginning of the season did everything to share the spoils with the Benin Arsenals who suffered a 1-0 loss to Gombe Utd in the match Day four fixture. Insurance created a lot of scoring chances which were not converted.
Tamara Ezekiel was voted man of the match after his exceptional performance in the midfield, winning the high-performance award.
Also speaking during the post-match interview, the head coach of Akwa Utd Fatai Osho said that Insurance FC remains one of the strongest teams in the country.
” We are happy to get a point in Benin. You can’t take it away from Insurance. They are solid. We expected a lot to be thrown at us in the game having been studying Insurance style of play since Super Six in Lagos when I was with Rivers Utd. We adopted a plan which worked. The only unfortunate thing is that our strikers didn’t do enough to convert any chance.” Osho said.
The Benin Arsenals who now have seven points after playing four matches in the new season will be travelling back to Gombe State again to face Doma FC in one of the first midweek fixtures.
It is going to be tight schedules for Insurance who are expected to lock horns with Remo Stars in the match day seven fixture on Sunday, on their return from Gombe state.
