Insurance win compounds Enyimba woes

Bendel Insurance deepened Enyimba’s troubles with a deserved 2-0 victory at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, compounding a difficult period for the nine-time Nigerian champions, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The hosts began brightly and should have taken an early lead inside the opening ten minutes.

Musa Sudes fired wide in the fifth minute before Udom Emmanuel also missed the target moments later as Insurance pressed with intent. Enyimba survived another scare in the 17th minute when a well-taken free kick was kept out by a resolute defensive wall.

The breakthrough came in the 26th minute when Oweilayefa Alex finished confidently to put Insurance ahead, a goal that reflected their early dominance.

Enyimba struggled to respond, with the home side maintaining control of possession and tempo. Emmanuel Akpan was forced off through injury in the 38th minute and replaced by Chikatara Chisom, but the change did little to disrupt Insurance’s rhythm.

Chinedu Nwosu went close to extending the lead in the 41st minute, remaining composed as he dictated play in midfield, and Insurance went into the interval one goal to the good after four minutes of added time.

Insurance made a double change at the start of the second half, introducing Efe Ubiomo and Nnamdi Anthony for Musa Sudes and Henry Oyian. Enyimba showed more urgency after the restart and came close to equalising in the 56th minute, but goalkeeper Emmanuel Ofori produced a fine save to deny the visitors.

Any hopes of a comeback were effectively ended in the 79th minute when 16-year-old Efe Ubiomo marked his debut with a clinical goal to double Insurance’s advantage.

The home side continued to create chances, with Nwosu missing another opportunity late on, before Chikatara Chisom was replaced by Anyanwu Promise in stoppage time as Insurance saw out a comfortable win.

The result extends Enyimba’s miserable run in a season that began with title expectations.

The Peoples Elephants have now won just one of their last six matches and sit 12th in the table with 31 points from 25 games.

Their struggles on the pitch come amid ongoing turmoil off it, with the club reportedly under investigation over alleged misappropriation of funds and having recently appointed Cameroonian Emmanuel Deutsch as head coach, their fourth in two years.

By contrast, Insurance’s revival under Kennedy Boboye continues to gather momentum. Once flirting with relegation earlier in the campaign, they have climbed to sixth place on 37 points and are now firmly in the hunt for a continental place, with this emphatic win underlining their return to form.