Bendel Insurance: Kennedy Boboye targets third NPFL title despite defensive concerns

Bendel Insurance head coach Kennedy Boboye says his side must improve defensively after conceding 14 goals in their opening 10 matches of the 2026/2027 EuroMatch Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.

Boboye was speaking after Bendel Insurance ended Rivers United’s unbeaten run with a 2-1 victory at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City on Sunday.

Freeman Wuchirwe put the home side ahead in the 48th minute, shortly after the restart, but Rivers United forward Chijioke Mbaoma equalised in the 73rd minute.

Jonathan James then scored late to secure all three points for the Benin Arsenal, denying Finidi George’s side a draw in the South-South derby.

The result took Bendel Insurance’s goals scored this season to 16, but Boboye remains concerned by the rate at which his team is conceding.

“It’s been something that has been very worrisome for us because we cannot be conceding goals in every match we play. Every game we play, we concede,” he said.

“I think we should try to make amends to ensure we get a balance in our defence because that has been our problem.

“Of course, it’s a two-way thing. If the strikers don’t score, it’s a problem. If the defenders don’t defend well and concede, it’s also a problem. So, we’ll work on it to get a balance.”

Despite those defensive problems, Boboye believes Bendel Insurance can challenge for the NPFL title and win the competition for a third time.

The Benin-based club last lifted the league trophy in 1979, having won their first title in 1972. Their second triumph came in the year the competition was first played on a home-and-away basis.

“Definitely, it’s doable. It’s very, very possible. It’s just that we need to get something in our next game away to Kwara United. If we get points at Kwara United and come back home and get the points, we’ll be there,” Boboye said.

“I know that by the time we get into the top two on the league table, we’ll start looking ahead.”

Bendel Insurance have been strong at home but have lost all five of their away matches this season. Boboye said the squad’s lack of consistency was partly linked to the number of new players in the team.

“Games can differ. I need to give kudos to the players because we have a new set of players. This is a team that struggled for most of last season. Even in their struggles, they won two or three away games,” he said.

“So, it’s not something that is not doable. We’ve just played the 10th game of the league. With time, definitely, we’ll get a win somewhere away from home.”

He added: “But all we need to do now is think about our three points at home first. That’s our target.”

Boboye said the victory over Rivers United was important because it could help Bendel Insurance reduce the gap at the top of the table and underline their title ambitions.

“We knew that if we could take today’s game, we would have somehow closed the gap at the top. All we needed was to make sure we won and close the gap as one of the teams contesting to win the league,” he said.

Bendel Insurance next face Kwara United.