Bendel Insurance of Benin and Shooting Stars of Ibadan played out a 1-1 draw in their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) match-day two clash at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, on Saturday.
Both sides came into the game desperate for their first win of the new campaign after losing their opening fixtures. It was Shooting Stars who struck first, with Ayodele Ismail giving the visitors the lead in the 5th minute. The forward showed great composure as he shrugged off his marker and calmly slotted the ball past Joshua Baba in the Bendel Insurance goal.
The home side didn’t take long to respond. Just eight minutes later, Alex Oweilayefa restored parity for Insurance, pouncing on a loose ball to make it 1-1 and set the tone for a fiercely contested encounter.
As the game wore on, Bendel Insurance began to pile on the pressure in search of a late winner. However, Shooting Stars’ goalkeeper Mustapha Lawal stood firm, pulling off two brilliant saves in the 89th and 92nd minutes to keep the hosts at bay and ensure his side left Benin with a valuable point.
The result leaves Shooting Stars still chasing their first victory of the season. They now turn their attention to a South West derby against Ikorodu City at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasinga, Ibadan, on September 7. The fixture will see 3SC head coach Nurudeen Aweroro come up against his former club, adding an extra layer of intrigue to what promises to be a fiery contest.
