Newly-promoted Insurance defeat Akwa United in NPFL opener

Bendel Insurance have defeated Akwa United 2-0 in the curtain raiser of the 2022/23 season of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

The newly promoted Benin Arsenal shocked the 2021 NPFL champions to register victory at the Uyo Stadium on Sunday.

The league finally resumed after months of hiatus forced by bureaucratic bottlenecks.

The newly fangled Interim Management Committee (IMC) had proposed an abridged league to mitigate wasted time.

Although other matches of the opening weekends were postponed by a week, the game in Uyo remained.

It was a contest with terrific surprises as Imade Osehenkhoe put the visitors ahead in the 37th minute after a brilliant team effort.

Just five minutes later, Ismael Seriki doubled the lead for Insurance. He was the fastest to react to a pinball scenario in the Akwa United goal area.

The Promise Keepers, however, had no response to the rollercoaster football of the opposition and suffered their first home loss of the season.

Insurance earned their first-ever NPFL victory since 2019 when they were relegated to the Nigeria National League (NNL).

The remaining games of the opening matchday will be played next weekend.