By Wale Mustapha
Bendel Insurance FC battled back to earn a 1-1 draw against Shooting Stars SC in their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday Two clash at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, on Saturday.
Both sides came into the encounter under pressure, having lost their opening fixtures of the season — Insurance fell 2-0 to Elkanemi Warriors in Maiduguri, while Shooting Stars suffered a shock 1-0 home defeat to Bayelsa United.
The visitors struck first within the opening minutes, as Ayodele Ismail ghosted behind his marker before slotting calmly past goalkeeper Amas Obasogie Baba, silencing the home crowd.
However, Insurance hit back swiftly. Just six minutes later, Alex Oweilayefa rose highest to glance home a header that left Shooting Stars goalkeeper Mustapha Lawal with no chance.
Lawal, making his return to the Oluyole Warriors after national duty with the home-based Super Eagles at the African Nations Championship (CHAN), proved pivotal in the second half with a string of crucial saves that preserved the stalemate.
While the result leaves Insurance still searching for their first win of the campaign, it offers a timely confidence boost for Nurudeen Aweroro’s Shooting Stars, who will take positives from the improved display on the road.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
