Bendel Insurance are all but certain of being among the teams that will compete in the Super 6 for this season’s Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) title. At the Pantami Township Stadium in Gombe on Sunday evening, the Benin Arsenal maintained their ground-breaking unbeaten run of the season with a goalless result against hosts, Gombe.
That result means that Insurance requires just one point from their remaining two matches of the group phase to finish among the top 3 teams in Group A to play in the Super 6. The team at the fourth spot – Akwa United – will at the best end up in 32 points, just as the Benin side now have.
Gombe United would have been 100 per cent certain of remaining in the top flight next season if they had halted Insurance’s unbeaten run. But their single point from the match is also good enough as only a tsunami can bring them them down as they stand six points above the drop zone with six points to play for.
Enyimba improved their chances of ending the season in the top 3 by recording their fourth away victory of the season as El-Kanemi Warriors fell by a lone goal. The People’s Elephant had beaten three Uniteds – Gombe, Nasarawa and Kwara – by the same margin (2-1) on the road.
El-Kanemi are as good as returning to the lower division from where they emerged last season. Two fixtures remaining, they remain rooted at the foot of the table and five points from safety.
From No 5 at the start of Matchday 16, Remo Stars are now in third, having displaced Akwa United and Plateau United. Remo defeated fellow Super 6 contestants Akwa United 1-0 in Ikenne-Remo, thanks to a penalty converted by Nduka Junior in ninth minute of first half added time.
Plateau United fought back to end their away match in Akure 1-1 against Kwara United. Issa Gata broke the deadlock in the 21st minute minute, while Plateau United levelled in the 57th minute.
In Group B, Lobi Stars stay on top of the log after pipping Niger Tornadoes in Makurdi. Francis Odinaka did the magic in the 48th minute.
Tornadoes dropped by a spot from fourth.
Despite being on holiday as their opponents, Rivers United failed in their mission to Tanzania to rescue a 0-2 first leg deficit to Young Africans, Doma United stay at No 2, while Abia Warriors walloped hapless Dakkada 3-0 to go third from fifth on the table.
All results…
Group A: Nasarawa United 1-0 Shooting Stars, Gombe United 0-0 Bendel Insurance, El-Kanemi Warriors 0-1 Enyimba, Remo Stars 1-0 Akwa United, Kwara United 1-1 Plateau United
Group B: Bayelsa United 2-1 Sunshine Stars, Lobi Stars 1-0 Niger Tornadoes, Abia Warriors 3-0 Dakkada, Rangers 3-0 Wikki Tourists, Rivers United v Doma United (postponed)
