A keenly contested Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) encounter at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City saw Kano Pillars come away with all three points thanks to a penalty awarded deep in stoppage time.
The first half in Benin went by with little action in front of goal at either end, and the second half looked set to end in same way until the 85th minute when Ibrahim Inuwa had a great opportunity to win it for Pillars, only to see his weak effort saved by the goalkeeper.
But there would be late late drama as the referee pointed to the spot in the seventh minute of added time for a handball by a Bendel Insurance defender.
Pillars legend, Rabiu Ali, duly stepped up to score the ensuing spot-kick and seal all three points for the Kano team with his sixth goal of the season.
The results lifts Pillars to fourth on the NPFL standings with 17 points from 11 matches, four points off the league leaders, Remo Stars, and second placed Rivers United ahead of their matches on Sunday against Enyimba and Bayelsa United respectively.
Elsewhere in the NPFL on Saturday, Daniel Amokachi’s Lobi Stars moved out of the relegation zone, at least for 24 hours, thanks to a 3-1 win over Abia Warriors.