RIVERS United became the first team to defeat Bendel Insurance in all competitions this season with a 2-1 victory in the Nigeria Premier Football League championship play-offs in Lagos today.
The defending champions’ win put an end to Bendel Insurance’s unprecedented unbeaten run at 21 matches, also putting paid to the Benin side’s hope of the title.
Insurance, who also reached the final of the Federation Cup, had gone unbeaten in 18 Group A matches in the abridged season and an additional three games at the Super 6 championship play-offs before today’s defeat at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena.
Two goals at the end of each half secured the three points for Rivers United, with Morice Chukwu scoring in the 45th minute and Joseph Onoja netting in the 90th to take the contest beyond Insurance.
New Super Eagles invitee Divine Nwachukwu, who has been called up for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against Sierra Leone, scored his third goal in the play-offs in added time but it was only a consolation for Insurance.
With the result, Rivers United enhanced their chances of retaining their title by taking top spot in the play-offs with eight points from four matches, while Insurance have three points with only one game left for them.
