By Jokanola Bolaji
Debutant John Taiwo scored deep into stoppage time on Sunday evening to give Bendel Insurance a 2-1 comeback win over Niger Tornadoes in a Matchday 12 fixture of the EUROMATCH Nigeria Premier Football League at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.
The visitors had led from the 36th minute when Adeleke Adekunle handled Usman Audu’s cross inside the box, and Aliyu Mohammed sent Bendel Insurance goalkeeper Adewale Adeyinka the wrong way from the spot.
Bendel Insurance who had dominated most of the first half, kept trying for an equalizer and almost found the equalizer just before the break as Alex Oweilayefa rounded the goalkeeper, but Abdulazeez Yusuf cleared off the line.
With pressure mounting on Tornadoes, Insurance levelled in added time of the first half. Bendel Insurance captain, Kayode Oke, ran through the left flank, delivered a low cross beating the Tornadoes defence and Jonathan James Mairiga finished it off to make it 1-1 at the interval.
The second half stayed tight as both sides battled for a second goal. Tornadoes came close in the 63rd minute when Bulus Joseph met a low cross from Ismail Sarki but Insurance goalie, Adewale Adeyinka tipped the shot onto the crossbar.
The match however took a new turn in the first minute of added time before the 90 when Sunday Akinmoladun was sent off for a professional foul on an Insurance player who was through on goal.
Insurance capitalised on their numerical advantage in the closing moments. After a series of attempts were blocked by the Tornadoes defence, Taiwo, who came on as a substitute, found the net in the fifth minute of additional time, roofing his effort into the net to complete the comeback and secure all three points for the hosts. The win propelled the Benin Arsenals to second on the NPFL log with 21 points, three behind leaders Rangers International who still have an outstanding game.