Coach Kennedy Boboye of Bendel Insurance has demanded victory from his players. The Benin club hosts Ikorodu City in Wednesday’s Matchday 5 fixture. The match is at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium. Boboye spoke after the team’s final training session. He said Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Ranchers Bees should spur a response.
Bendel Insurance are one of Nigeria’s oldest clubs. They won the NPFL title in 1979. They have struggled for consistency in recent decades. In 2023, they won the Federation Cup. That ended a long trophy drought. The club has a strong fan base in Benin. Expectations are high.
Boboye said the game is a must-win. “If we want to be among the contenders for the league title, we must work hard to remain in the top three,” he said. Bendel Insurance have six points from four matches. They have two wins and two defeats. A win would move them back into the top four.
Boboye defended his players’ away performances. He said conditions on the road are difficult. “People should not just criticise us from home,” he said. He expressed confidence that the team will improve. He attributed some difficulties to new players not yet settled. “The wins will come,” he said.
The fixture is the first midweek NPFL match at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium this season. Ikorodu City are unbeaten in fourth place. They will be difficult opponents. Bendel Insurance need the points. Boboye knows it.
Winners: Bendel Insurance, if they win. Fans, who see midweek football. Ikorodu City, if they extend their unbeaten run. Losers: Bendel Insurance, if they lose. Boboye, whose job may come under pressure. Players, who face criticism. The club’s title ambitions, if points drop.
Bottom Line: Bendel Insurance need a win. Boboye has demanded it. Ikorodu City are unbeaten. The match is a test. The coach knows the pressure. The players must respond.