The Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium roared back to life on Saturday night as Bendel Insurance, under pressure after a winless start to the season, snatched a dramatic 1–0 victory over Niger Tornadoes in the opening fixture of NPFL Gameweek 4, the only match played on Saturday in the league.
Substitute Emmanuel Israel was the hero, arriving deep into stoppage time to punish the visitors with a crisp finish that sealed Insurance’s first win of the 2025/26 campaign, and condemned the Ikon Allah Boys to their second defeat in four outings.
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It was a cruel end for Tornadoes, who had defended stoutly for most of the contest and looked set to return home with a point. But as head coach Mohammed Majin admitted afterwards, concentration slipped at the worst possible moment.
Majin: “We stuck to our plan, but football is cruel”
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Majin insisted his side gave their all, but were undone by football’s harsh realities.
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“I want to appreciate the players’ effort; they did their best, but at the end of the day, they succumbed. That’s football for you. You win some, you lose some, and until the final whistle, it’s not over. In all, we stuck to our game plan, and we appreciate everything.”
The coach dismissed suggestions that his players were guilty of time-wasting, stressing that Tornadoes never play for a draw.
“As far as we are concerned, we don’t go to any match with the mindset of a draw; we go for outright winning, and whichever we get, we take it in good faith. You can’t term players’ pain time-wasting; you are not in the field to know what they are going through.”
But Majin admitted that his men may have switched off too early.
“It’s not over until it’s over. Maybe that’s what the players thought; that we had finished the game and the referee had not blown the whistle, and that’s how we conceded that dying goal. That’s unfortunate, but we are taking it in good faith, and we will go home to pick up our three points, which is very crucial for us.”
Ikhenoba: “The sky will be our limit”
For Insurance boss Greg Ikhenoba, the late winner was a much-needed lift after a stuttering start to the season that saw his side lose 2–0 to El-Kanemi Warriors, draw 1–1 with Shooting Stars in Benin, and settle for another 1–1 away stalemate against new boys Barau FC.
This time, his players delivered when it mattered.
“A big thanks to the boys, they all played to instructions, fought a good fight, and I hope that if we continue this way, the sky will be our limit,” Ikhenoba said with relief.
He praised the squad’s resilience and belief, noting that the decisive moment was born out of persistence.
“Football is played until the final whistle; you don’t stop playing. I had the confidence that something would happen, and I am happy it eventually came to be.”
Key absentees and Injury update
Insurance were without key midfielder Alex and first-choice goalkeeper Joshua Baba, both nursing knocks. Ikhenoba explained their omission:
“Alex got a knock in Maiduguri, and he’s going through medical attention, the same as Baba, who had a sprain in his thigh before departing for Kano. You don’t want to take a risk if you are playing a big game like this; you need to be 100 per cent fit to be on the field. They are fine, and I think with time, they will get back in the squad.”
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“A Work in Progress”
Despite the win, Ikhenoba urged patience, stressing that Insurance remain a project still taking shape:
“For those who care to listen, we are a work in progress, we keep trying to improve on lapses and by the grace of God, we will go back to the drawing board, keep working hard and put the boys through so the goals can keep coming.
“Sometimes, football is like that, but when the goals start coming, everyone will be happy.”
The bigger picture
The victory catapulted Bendel Insurance into 10th place with five points from four matches, pending results from the other nine fixtures scheduled across the country today. Their next challenge is a daunting trip to Aba to face record champions Enyimba International.
For Niger Tornadoes, the defeat leaves them 6th with six points, though other results could push them lower by the end of the weekend. The Ikon Allah Boys now face a crucial home tie against Ikorodu City on 21 September, a fixture Majin has already tagged as “must win.”
Insurance, on the other hand, will hope that Emmanuel Israel’s late heroics are a spark to reignite their season.
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