Kwara United goalkeeper admits Bendel Insurance deserved victory

Kwara United goalkeeper Suraj Ayeleso admitted Bendel Insurance were the better side after his team suffered a 2–1 home defeat in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) at the Kwara State Stadium in Ilorin on Sunday.

The match was goalless at half-time, but the visitors responded strongly after the break. Stephen Gideon gave Kwara United the lead in the 49th minute, only for Bendel Insurance to equalise three minutes later through Kayode Oke.

Bendel Insurance completed the turnaround in the 55th minute when Chinedu Nwosu scored the winning goal, securing all three points on the road.

Ayeleso said Kwara United were disappointed not to follow up their previous positive result, having earned an away point in Kano. However, he acknowledged the quality and organisation shown by their opponents.

“It’s quite unfortunate that we were unable to build on the away point we gained in Kano in the match against Bendel Insurance,” Ayeleso said.

“I will have to commend Bendel Insurance. They really outplayed us as they showed maturity.”

The defeat was a setback for Kwara United on home soil, but Ayeleso said the team would use the match to identify areas requiring improvement before their next fixtures.

“We will work on the positives and address the lapses identified in the game.”