By Oladigbo Efficient Olalekan
The Oluyole Warriors will start their journey back in to the top flight of the Nigerian Professional Football league as they are scheduled to slug it out with newly rejuvenated Insurance of Benin this Saturday,5th of May, 2018.
These two clubs are one of the oldest football team in Nigeria, while 3sc was founded in the 50’s, Bendel Insurance was founded in the year 1972. While Shooting stars are 5 times Champion of the Nigeria Top flight league 1976,1980,1983,1995 and 1998, Bendel Insurance only won the title for just 2 times 1973 and 1979.
Bendel Insurance will be hoping to gain promotion to the Top NPFL after 11 years of playing in lower league since 2007/2008 when they got relegated. Shooting stars after coming 5th in 2004/2005 season got relegated in 2006 came back in 2009 and got relegated again in 2017 in the final day of the seasons.
Recall that Oluyole warriors after getting related last season sacked about 20 players alongside the team coach Fatai Amoo, some player were retained and few more was added to the squared.
Coach Edith Agoye, Ex-3sc Player and first assistant when they got promoted in 2009 was appointed as Head Coach of the team, in a bid to get good results this season which the target is to get promoted back to NPFL, they have played few teams in preseason though the results was not that fantastic but decent and fair considering the fact that the team is undergoing a rebuilding process the most recent those result is losing to fellow State rival Crown Fc of Ogbomoso 2-1 away and drew 0-0 at Lekan Salami stadium in Ibadan.
Bendel Insurance on the other hand has enjoyed decent atmosphere both on and off the pitch with the full support of the current Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki has so far given the team needed support to excel this season and make it to NPFL.
Shooting Stars Sport Club and Bendel Insurance of Benin are seeded in the same Group B1 with other teams like Abia Comets, Akwa Stalets Fc, Bayelsa United Fc, Spartans FC Lagos, Warri Wolves FC, Gateway United FC Abeokuta and J. Atete Warri.
Saturday May 5th match between these two sides is a crucial and might determine who will finally top the group and progress to the next round.
Bendel Insurance has done the needful by securing 3 points and 3 goals in there first game against Spartans FC of Lagos in NNL Match day 1, Only FC Taraba and 3sc will began their campaign this Saturday according the report made available by Amar Ignis NNL organizers.
Meanwhile going in to this Saturday game Bendel Insurance look good and very confident knowingfully well they won their first match home against a decent team like Spartans FC of Lagos.
