Ranchers Bees beat Bendel Insurance 2:1 in the National Professional Football League regular season on Saturday. The hosts took all three points after a match decided by two second-half goals. Both sides arrived level on six points from four games, so this result keeps the home side ahead on goal difference.
C. Okorie opened the scoring in the 49th minute, giving Ranchers Bees the lead just after the interval. Bendel Insurance responded quickly, with G. Lekan equalising six minutes later in the 66th. The visitors kept knocking on the door, but Rabiu's strike in the 79th minute turned it on for the hosts.
And here's the thing about the statistics — Ranchers Bees registered six shots on target compared to Bendel Insurance's single attempt. Possession sat at 56 per cent for the home side, though both teams recorded similar attack counts, 105 and 103 respectively. The difference came in conversion, not volume.
By then the match had already shifted direction. A red card for Bendel Insurance in the 84th minute tightened things up for the visitors, who had already seen a yellow card in the 61st. Ranchers Bees held their nerve through the final minutes, not needing to travel to make up the numbers when the game was effectively over.
The result leaves Ranchers Bees fourth and Bendel Insurance fifth, both on six points from four matches. For the hosts, it extended their unbeaten run to eight after losses against Barawa and Ikorodu City earlier in the campaign. Bendel Insurance's run of results — a win against Warri Wolves and a draw with El Kanemi Warriors among them — now faces a test of consistency.