More than three points are at stake when Group A leaders Bendel Insurance face eight‑time champions Enyimba in one of the final matches of the first stanza of the 2022/23 Nigerian Professional Football League. The encounter, scheduled for Sunday in Benin, pits the top two teams in the group against each other and adds a compelling goal‑scorer duel to the mix.
Enyimba’s league‑top scorer, Emeka Obioma, will be challenged by Bendel Insurance’s striking duo, Osarenkhoe Imade and Ismael Sarki. Imade and Sarki have been in the spotlight since match‑day one, scoring together in the same game on four occasions—against Akwa United, Plateau United, Remo Stars, and Shooting Stars. Bendel Insurance won three of those matches and drew the fourth, with the pair contributing nine of the club’s twelve goals this season (Imade five, Sarki four). Their combined effort accounts for 70 % of the Benin Arsenal’s tally.
Enyimba have matched Bendel Insurance’s goal output, also netting twelve times while conceding five. Their striker, Emeka Obioma, leads the charge with seven goals, putting him ahead of other golden‑boot contenders. Unlike the Insurance forwards, Obioma began scoring on match‑day four, recording a brace against Kwara United and adding two more braces against El‑Kanemi Warriors and Shooting Stars, plus a goal versus Gombe United.
If Enyimba hope to end the hosts’ unbeaten run and extend their own nine‑game streak, they will rely on Obioma’s continued form. Finidi George praised the striker, saying, “Anything he touches goes in. He’s in great form, his attitude is perfect, and we keep encouraging him to get the best out of him.”
With only four points separating the sides, a victory for Enyimba will not alter their positions on the table but will narrow the gap, while Bendel Insurance will aim to extend their lead heading into the mid‑season break.
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