NPFL: Bendel Insurance coach slams Nasarawa United’s negative tactics

By Saheed Afolabi

Bendel Insurance coach, Greg Ikhenoba, has condemned Nasarawa United for their negative tactics during their 2-1 defeat to the Solid Miners in Lafia, which left his side stuck at the bottom of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) table.

The Benin Arsenal’s disappointing form continued as they were handed a narrow loss, but Ikhenoba was particularly critical of the home team’s behavior, specifically their ball boys, who he accused of deliberately slowing down the game.

“I was surprised to see the home team’s ball boys keeping the balls away, forcing my players to fetch them themselves,” Ikhenoba said in the post-match interview.

“This kind of behaviour is unhealthy for our football. We watch European games daily, and such antics don’t happen there. The league organisers need to curb this to improve the game’s integrity.”

The Benin Arsenal boss emphasized that such tactics undermine the professionalism of the league and urged the NPFL to take action against clubs that engage in these unsporting behaviors.

Despite the loss, Ikhenoba remained optimistic about addressing his side’s weaknesses ahead of their next fixture.

“There are always three possible outcomes in football: win, draw, or loss. Unfortunately, we lost this time. We didn’t come here to lose; we worked hard to get a result, but it didn’t happen.

“Now, we must go back and address our weaknesses to ensure we smile after our next game,” he added.

Bendel Insurance will aim to bounce back when they host Plateau United on Saturday, November 30, as they look to improve their fortunes in the league.