Bendel Insurance Knocked Out of Federation Cup by Wikki Tourists
Defending champions Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin have been eliminated from the 2024 President Federation Cup after a 2-0 defeat to NNL side Wikki Tourists of Bauchi on Wednesday, May 22, in Abuja.
Second-half goals from Promise Damala in the 68th minute and Owolabi Aremu in the 94th minute secured a convincing win for the Tourists and ended the Benin Arsenals’ cup run.
The match remained goalless in the first half, with both sides showing strong resistance at the Area 3 field in Abuja. However, Promise Damala broke the deadlock with a clinical free kick that went straight into the net, giving Wikki Tourists the lead. As Bendel Insurance, led by coach Monday Odigie, pushed for an equalizer, Owolabi Aremu sealed the victory for his team with a late goal.
This defeat marks a significant setback for Bendel Insurance, who won the 2023 Federation Cup title by defeating Rangers 1-0 at the Stephen Keshi Stadium. The victory last year came after their return to the premier league following a decade in the nation’s second division.
As league actions resume this weekend, Bendel Insurance will now focus on their next engagement, which is a Matchday 33 fixture in the Nigeria Premier Football League against Sunshine Stars of Akure. The match is scheduled for Saturday at 4:00 PM at the Akure Township Stadium.
Bendel Insurance currently sits in 8th position on the league table with 45 points, while their hosts, Sunshine Stars, are in 17th place with 39 points.
