posted September 26, 2023
The Bendel Insurance Football Club of Benin, on Tuesday afternoon arrived in Casablanca, the capital city of Morocco ahead of their second leg continental clash with Renaissance De Sportive Berkane in the second preliminary round of the 2023/24 CAF Confederation Cup.
The crucial CAF engagement is scheduled to hold on Friday, September 29 in Berkane, Morocco.
The Bendel Insurance FC team flew into the Arab City aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight, which touched down at the Mohammed V. International Airport, Casablanca at about 1pm, Nigerian Time.
The team departed the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, Nigeria on Tuesday morning, and arrived safely into the warm embrace of Emmanuel Ovye Oliver, the protocol assistant and some other officials of the Nigeria Embassy in Morocco who were on ground at the airport to receive them.
Recall that Bendel Insurance FC were forced to a 2-2 draw by RS Berkane at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium, in Benin City, on Saturday, September 16.
The Benin Arsenal coach, Monday Odigie, who is leading the team, said they are confident to defend their pride and dignity in Morocco in the return leg clash.
The stand-in captain of Insurance FC, Amas Obasogie, said: “Knowing the honour that awaits us if we beat our opponent to qualify for the group stage, we are going to fight for everything in the field of play to go home victorious. We made two mistakes in Benin and will not want a repeat.
“We are facing a very strong opponent who have been champions twice in a space of three years but we will not allow their intimidation to affect our play. They should expect a good fight from us the way they also fought in Benin.”
While Obasogie noted, “Above all, we want to fight to win for our State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, who has been wonderful in giving his all-in sponsorship and motivation that has taken us this far both in the domestic league and at the continental level.”