Euromatch NPFL: Abia Warriors Punished Insurance For Poor First-Half Display — Boboye

Bendel Insurance head coach Kennedy Boboye admitted that his side were punished for their poor first-half performance in their 3-0 defeat to Abia Warriors on Sunday.

Chukwuemeka Obioma scored twice for the hosts, while Etta Ikoi added the other goal.

Boboye Laments Poor First-Half Performance

Boboye, who has previously managed Sunshine Stars, Heartland, Akwa United and Plateau United, said his team failed to match the intensity of the game in the first half and were duly punished.

“We played badly in the first half and were punished,”Boboye said after the game.

“That’s football for you. When you don’t meet the standard, your opponent punishes you.”

Insurance’s Former Abia Warriors Players

Bendel Insurance featured three former Abia Warriors players — Fatai Abdullahi, Suraj Lawal and Adekunle Adeleke — who joined the Benin-based club before the start of the season.

Boboye explained that the trio were included in the starting lineup because they have been regular starters since joining Insurance and not simply because they were facing their former club.

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“They have been starting every game here at Bendel Insurance since they joined us,” Boboye said.

“This isn’t their first time and this is not an exception. It’s just that we’re unlucky to have conceded cheap goals in the first half.

“We’ll go back and restrategise for our next game against Barau FC.”

Poor Away Form Continues

The defeat means Bendel Insurance have now lost all three of their away games this season.

Boboye acknowledged that the record is not ideal for a team with title ambitions, insisting that his side must improve their away form while targeting maximum points against Barau FC in their next home fixture.

“Obviously, it’s going to be a must-win game for us if we must stay among the top sides on the log and contest for the title.

“We can’t think of winning the league and continue losing games like this.

“This is the third game we’ve lost away from home. If you want to be a champion, you must make sure you get something (points) from away games and not depend on home games alone.”

By Sab Osuji

Adeboye Amosu is a seasoned sports journalist and Senior Content Writer with extensive experience covering Nigerian football and international football. He specializes in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), provides insightful coverage, match reports, news, and analysis of the domestic game. Adeboye also follows the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Chelsea, bringing his knowledge of the teams, players, and competitions to his writing.