Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) champions, Bendel Insurance, and Kano Pillars also registered wins on Saturday.
Insurance, playing their first match of the season on the second day due to CAF Confederations Cup continental engagements, beat Shooting Stars Sports Club, 2-0, at the Samuel OGBEMUDIA stadium in Benin, to open their new campaign.
In the 10th minute, Gali Falke scored his first goal for the club based in Ibadan. The goal resulted from pressure from Insurance attackers, as Falke’s intended headed clearance found its way into the net.
In the 72nd minute, Coach Monday Odigie made tactical changes to his teammates, replacing Austin Ogunye’s stand-by for Vincent August Paul Obatan with Akpos Godness to replace Evans Ogbonda during the match.
The three substitutes combined to perfection, as Ogbonda pounced on Stanley Okorom’s pass and dribbled past two men before firing a goal-bound from 25 yards, sending the home fans into a frenzy.
At the end of the game, Odigie was happy with the win but not too thrilled because some of his best players weren’t there. He said it was a tough game and the team that made the most of their chances won.
“We’re going to keep working on the areas where we made mistakes,” Odigie said. Meanwhile, in the northern derby in Kano, Pillars got the better of Katsina United in a 1-0 home win to get their first victory of the NPFL 2023/24 season.
Pillars had lost to Sunshine Stars in their return to the top flight last weekend, but they took their chance to get back on track with Ibrahim Mustapha’s goal in their first home game since the end of last season.
In the second half, Doma United got the better of Bayelsa United, with Andrew Majalisa scoring a 2-0 win. Majalisa put the ball in the back of the net after a free kick from Hillary Ekawu.
Doma took the lead two hours into the second half when Charles Terwar struck with a long-range shot that deflected off the keeper of Bayelsa United.