E
Ernest Victor
Guest
Bendel Insurance find themselves in a precarious position at the bottom of the 2024-2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) table following a severe penalty handed down by the league’s board on Monday.
The Benin-based club was docked three points and three goals after their supporters were involved in an incident of fan trouble during their recent match.
The troubles erupted after Bendel Insurance suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat at home to Kano Pillars on Saturday.
Frustrated by the match’s outcome, fans lashed out at centre referee Adeniyi Adewale and his officials, Sodiq Sonibare and Anuoluwapo Balogun, particularly after a controversial last-minute penalty was awarded to Kano Pillars.
The penalty, which was successfully converted by Rabiu Ali, fueled the anger of the home supporters, escalating tensions within the stadium.
In addition to the point and goal deduction, the league imposed a significant fine of N3.75 million on Bendel Insurance and mandated that they play their next three home matches behind closed doors, a decision aimed at curbing further incidents of violence and unrest among supporters.
Before the penalties, Bendel Insurance was hovering just above the relegation zone with 12 points accumulated from 11 matches.
However, following the board’s decision, they now face the prospect of sinking to the very bottom of the league with only nine points to their name and a goal difference of -5.
This development is particularly detrimental for the club, which recently claimed victory in the 2023 Federation Cup but has struggled this season, managing only three wins, four draws, and four defeats thus far.
The NPFL’s board gave Bendel Insurance a window of 48 hours to appeal against these sanctions.
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