Despite placing eighth with 12 points separating them from table toppers, Rangers International FC of Enugu, Bendel Insurance of Benin City right full back, Efe Enabulele, believes that the Coach Monday Odigie tutored side has all it takes to qualify for next season’s CAF Champions League or the CAF Confederation Cup.
In a chat with The Guardian, the 22-year-old Enabulele said: “It doesn’t matter where we are placed on the table right now, what matters is what we have in our arsenals including the sports loving government, our technical crew, led by Coach Monday Odigie, great players and our good fans and supporters in and around Edo State.
“Yes, we have 45 points; league leaders, Rangers have 57 points, Remo Stars 56 points, Enyimba 53 points, and 3SC 52 points. These are the top four, but don’t forget that all of us still have six matches each to play. The top three will qualify to the continent, and we still have the Federation Cup to play. So we are still in the race from two fronts.”
Bendel Insurance have the best defence thus far this season having conceded only 25 goals from 32 games; closest to them are defending champions, Enyimba International FC of Aba, with 26 goals conceded thus far.
Bendel Insurance FC will return to the field of play on the 25th of May, 2024 against Sunshine Stars of Akure at away before returning home to take on Katsina United. The two-time former champions – the Benin Arsenal won the Nigerian championship in 1973 and 1979 – will thereafter take on Abia Warriors (away) and Rivers United (home) before taking on seven-time former champions Rangers in their final away game of the season.
Bendel Insurance will then wrap up their league campaign with a home game against 2009 champions Bayelsa United.
