There is uneasy calm and self-appraisal in the camp of Bendel Insurance as they surrendered all points to their struggling hosts Bayelsa United in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) on Matchday 27 at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa on Sunday evening.
The relegation-threatened Ladan Bosso side came from behind to snatch the three points following a 2-1 victory over the resurgent Benin Arsenals.
Bendel Insurance approached the game with all confidence and zeal as they proved their mettle in the first half with Kayode Oke giving them the lead in the 37th minute.
Emo James got the equalizer for the host in the second minute of the extra three minutes added time before halftime.
Substitute Bina Tombiri sealed victory for the hosts in the 64th minute with a tap in strike from close range.
Recall that Bendel Insurance thrashed Bayelsa United 3-0 in their first round meeting in 2024.
Bendel Insurance came into the game with 38 points and were in eighth place on the table while Bayelsa United were 17th but have now moved to 15th after their win.
The Benin Arsenals will be hosts to table-toppers Remo Stars in the next fixture.
In a post-match interview, Bendel Insurance head coach, Greg Ikhenoba, said he was grateful for the significant progress his side has made despite the loss to Bayelsa United.
“Like I always say, I give thanks to God in every situation. The game has been played and we didn’t get what we planned to get. Honestly,we planned and hoped to win here but our plan didn’t work out well. We missed a lot of chances in the first half. We are work in progress and we will continue to work,” Ikhenoba said.