NNL SEASON OPENER: VANDREZZER AND BENDEL INSURANCE TO TANGO UNDER THE FLOODLIGHTS OF TESLIM BALOGUN STADIUM.

|By NNL Media & Oyee Oyedeji|

One of Nigeria’s oldest clubside Bendel Insurance Football club of Benin (Formerly Vipers of Benin) and new raves Vandrezzer FC of Lagos will clash in an opening fixture of  the 2021/2022 Nigeria national league which  kicks off Friday 11 February,2022 across various stadia in the country.

The battle which is among other high profile games lined up in DAY ONE of the NNL season will be under cast shadows of the Floodlights of the Teslim Balogun Stadium in the Sports city of Surulere, Lagos. 

The Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in the ancient city of Benin City, home ground of Bendel Insurance was the first to host NNL matches under its floodlights ,a milestone in the league.

Bendel Insurance  established in 1972  missed promotion to the elite Nigeria league by whiskers  during last season’s Super eight play off in Enugu.It is hoped the Benin Arsenal as they are nicknamed will be all out to fight for the coveted ticket to the Nigeria Professional Football League.

With the strong backing of Edo State government and the overwhelming passion of His Excellency ,the deputy governor of the state Rt. Honourable Philip Shaibu who oversees sports directly from his office,it is expected that Bendel Insurance will make huge statement when they confront Vandrezzer in Lagos.

Only on Tuesday the state government announced a N50million (Fifty million naira) shirt sponsorship from Sterling bank and as well unveiled brand new sets of jersies for BENDEL Insurance to set the tone for the match.

Vandrezzer a relatively young club that was established in 2019 recently got themselves crowned as Lagos Football Association Cup Champions for the year ended 2021.They looked good enough to maintain their status in NNL last season after the blast they started with.

Vandrezzer is one of the privately owned clubs in NNL, they boast of support from owners Vandrezzer Group, the Lions of Naija as they are called have become a major force in the NNL since joining.

Ranked 220th in the world and 16th in Africa as one of the most followed club sides,Vandrezzer could be addressing a major redefinition of club football standard in Nigeria.

They recently engaged former coach of Abia Warriors and Katsina United, Henry Makinwa who is taking charge since the exit of Tony Bulus, they played at the Agege Township Stadium which is under renovation and now have the Teslim Balogun Stadium as their new home ground.

Coach Makinwa is a tested hand and is expected to bring his experience to stand when his Lions of Naija confronts the Arsenals from Edo under the tutelage of Monday Odigie. 

The floodlight battle between Odigie a former Golden Eaglets Chief coach who also assisted Samson Siasia at the U-23 national and Makinwa’s rich vein of experience obviously makes the tie a potentially explosive one and enough to be the focus on Day ONE.

Both teams parade captains who are ambitious and deseirous to conquer.

Captain of Vandrezzer Godwin Ekpo speaking to NNL Media said" We have missed competitive football,Teslim Balogun Stadium  is a victorious ground for us and we can't wait to hit the ground running against Bendel Insurance"

On his part captain of Bendel Insurance,Maurice Prince  declared that "With so much support from the Edo state government ,we are propelled to win.Though we don't know so much about Vandrezzer,we will not leave Lagos empty"

The expected potentially explosive  Vandrezzer versus Bendel Insurance match  is fixed for 6pm at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Friday 11 February.

Same Friday other top profile match ups in the NNL week ONE will see clubs with great domestic football history on stage: Abubakar Bukola Saraki –ABS spoil for action against another former premier league side Yobe Desert Stars at the Ilorin Township Stadium.

ABS finished in 4th place last season while Yobe Desert Stars missed the Super eight play off after ending 3rd on the log.

Anti-graft side EFCC will attempt to subdue Zamfara United at the Area 10 sports complex, Abuja,incidentally all matches involving Abuja based teams have been shifted to Sunday and Monday following the Council election in the FCT.

But attention will shift to El-Kanemi Stadium Complex where the Warriors of El-Kanemi of Maiduguri will engage North West caliphate boys Sokoto United.

In A2:Kogi United are drawn bye,NAF FC versus Kebbi United equally shifted .

DMD face new entarnts Doma United in an earlier fixture at the El-Kanemi Stadium Maidugiri,Borno.

Army boys Green Berets host returnees Adamawa United in Zaria while Jigawa Golden Stars who also dropped from the Nigeria Premier league battles another new comer  J.M Liberty of Markudi at the Kazaure stadium .

In the Southern conference B1 games freshers Ikorodu City host Giant Brillars ,Gateway welcome Owerri new boys ,Campos FC with Osun United facing Ekiti United in as south west derby.

On Sunday Abeokuta Stormers (Former Nilayo FC) will square Ibom Youths .J'Atete will wait till week to to taste action.

Ottasolo is bye in group B2,another newcomer Cynosure FC from Ebony  will have to wait on a new date to face 2021 FA Cup kings Bayelsa United.

FC ONE Rockets at home to Apex Krane. Also making their debut are Sporting FC  and Ijebu United. Sporting have a tall mountain to climb against veterans Go-Round  while Ijebu battle old horses Rovers of Calabar in Ijebu, Nnewi United are home to Crown Fc of Ogbomoso .

On Sunday Warri  Wolves are the home side against Abia Comets at the Warrior Township stadium.

The stage is set,so let the season begin.

Good luck to ALL the clubs.