Benin City set to host high-flying Remo Stars as their odds defying Bendel Insurance’s perfect start faces toughest test

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At 4pm on Saturday, 28th this month, Remo Stars will kickoff their Gameweek four fixture of the new Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL season at the Samuel Ogbemudia, Benin Stadium against their newly promoted host, Bendel Insurance.


But who could have thought, at the start of last season that the Ikenne based side will be regarded as favourite in a topflight game, moreso away from home having suffered relegation in each of their two previous seasons in the topflight before last season.

Surprisingly, under now manager of Shooting Stars of Ibadan, coach Gbenga Ogunbote, the Sky Blues defied the odds and achieved massively in the last season, finishing third in the league and securing continental ticket for the CAF Confederations Cup.

Now under coach Daniel Ogunmodede, they seems not be to slowing down and have started the new season with intent, currently the best side in the league with three wins from their first three games.

Remo Stars are also the only side in the league, not to have concede a goal after three games, with their outstanding Goalkeeper, Kayode Bankole shutting out El Kanemi and Shooting Stars in Ikenne and Gombe United in the North East.

Their latest win against Shooting Stars in Ikenne sees them extend their unbeaten run in the South West derby to seven, which has seen six wins since the start of last season.

They display a kind of dominant that is also evidence in their play as they play mesmerizing football that is joy for their fans and neutrals while frustrating their rivals as they do it.

Weeks into their second season back in the topflight and now they are regarded as one of the biggest in the league and and the fact that the only two t finish above them last season haven't been as convincing, Remo Stars could as well boast the best in the league status.

Albeit defending Champions, Rivers United are also still unbeaten and have seven points out of possible nine, one could not shy away from the fact that their latest win, a 2-1 home success over Nasarawa United came via controversial decision of the referee, Faro Abdulrahman, who disallowed a legit goal for the visitors.

Remo Stars have been more assured in the way they control games and also win them. However, on Saturday, their biggest test yet this season awaits them in Benin City against Monday Odigie’s minions.


Back in the topflight after their relegation in the 2019, Bendel Insurance have hit the ground running this term thanks to the massive support from the Edo State Government.

The club has invested in every section and are reaping the dividends in positive infield performances and results.

Three games into the season and they've won them all against very tough opposition and two have also come away to Kwara United and Akwa United, two of the biggest teams in the division.

They've also beaten Plateau United, the runner up in the league last season while it is also worthy of note that Kwara United, another one of their victims finished fourth in the NPFL last season.

It's pretty early into the season and Bendel Insurance are proving to be giant slayers and another giant awaits them on Saturday, this time, a giant that seems not to slumber.

The battle for supremacy in the Group A of the abridge format campaign. Both the host, Bendel Insurance and visitors, Remo Stars have picked up maximum points from their opening three games with the latter leading the pack on goal difference.


Stars to watch

For the host, Imade Osehenkhoe is currently the joint top scorer in the league this season with three and the striker is the only player to have scored in each of the three Gameweeks so far.

All eyes will be on him on Saturday as he is fast becoming a fan favourite in the Southern region and against another one of the best teams in the country, the locals will look up to him for the goals if they are to stand any chances of once again upsetting the odds.


Kayode Bankole for the visitors. The Goalkeeper was one of Remo Stars’ best players last season, keeping a total of 16 clean sheets in all of his appearances in the competition, joint most in the league, alongside Victor Sochima of Rivers United.

This season, he is yet to pick of ball out from his own net, despite also facing a penalty in their 1-0 win away to Gombe United on Matchday two.

The battle between the two will be exciting to watch not forgetting other top players for both teams.

No one saw this coming but on Saturday, all eyes will be on the clash in Benin City, tagged the biggest fixture so far this season in the NPFL.



Author : Kehinde Hassan Afolabi

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