Victor Boniface scored a late goal to help Bayer Leverkusen defeat a difficult West Ham United side 2-0, in the Europa League quarter-finals first leg on Thursday.
It was Boniface’s first goal since returning from a groin injury prior to the start of the 2023 AFCON.
Boniface was introduced into the game on 76 minutes while Nathan Tella came on in the 67th minute.
For Leverkusen, they have now extended their unbeaten streak to 42 games in all competitions this season – 37 wins, five draws and no loss.
Boniface doubled Leverkusen’s lead in the 91st minute as he rose to head home Jonas Hofmann’s corner.
Also Read: Dennis Wins Watford’s Player Of The Month Award
Hofmann broke the deadlock with seven minutes left to play.
At Anfield, Liverpool suffered a shock 3-0 defeat to Atalanta.
Ademola Lookman did not feature for the Serie A side as he was an unused substitute.
In the all Italian affair, Samuel Chukwueze came on with 12 minutes left as Roma edged AC Milan 1-0 at the San Siro.
Also, Benfica pipped Olympique Marseille 2-1 in Portugal in a game that saw former Arsenal captain Pierre Emerick Aubameyang getting the French club’s goal.
8 Comments
Alonso is going to be another Pep, I just witnessed another tactical genius. A coach will make his team play football and score goals even if you park the Bus!!! Boniface is back what an Header the Jollof war is settled!!!!
Boniface. Potential APOTY
Oh no he’s not even close after the injury halted him from adding to his Stats. The season is almost over and the year is still long to tip Boni for Caf best. I wish him the best though.
With players like boniface, osimihen, onyedika , lookman, chukwueze and others a good coach will definitely take super eagles to the next world cup. We need a competent foriegn coach that will work with finid goerge to harness the full potential of our players. I watched the matches involving our players. With a competent foriegn coach we will defeat our opponents during world cup qualifiers. Picnic or pinnic leave the current nff to perform their duties.
Unfortunately Pinnick is the one influencing Gusua so I see Finidi as the coach. NFF might have settled for him and just playing the waiting game in other to force him on Nigerians with the excuse that the match is too close to get another Coach who will need time to adapt. Typical Naija Political gimmicks!
@Patrick, you said it all.Pinnick should not be allow to get close to the glass house and Nigeria football.Iam startled to see that after spending 2 mandate as the president of the NFF, and currently an executive member of both CAF and FIFA, Mr.Amaju Pinnick still haven’t learn anything about football. No wonders, he didn’t achieve anything all through his tenure.
Football now, is business, the more one bring in competent hands and real-time capital investment , the more one reap benefits .A tactical, disciplined and ego manager foreign coach is what the SE needs and not a recycle local coach.
@ Chima, you are right but it will be unprofessional for Gussau the nff president to be a puppet president. I believe he will choose the best Coach that will take us to the next level. My only problem with the association is that they are not proactive in decision making considering the situation of the Golden Eagles who are starting the WAFU B U17 qualifiers on May 17, 2024 and of today 13th April, 2024 we are yet to have U17 coach. My fear is that we may not perform to expectations. Let’s put pressure on the nff on this issue. God help NFF.
Thank goodness he just name Garba as the coach even though the time frame as you stated is very slim. I still believe Garba has a football plan and can just delve into BLA and some u15/16 teams to make his usual fantasy team that will blow aside Ghana and other teams without stress. I’m hoping to see Ariehi Kparobo of BLA finally unleashed.
Ibrahim Gusua as described by his Boss Pinnick is very economical no wonder he is appointing coaches just weeks to national assignment to save money as much as possible which to me is detrimental. I hope for U20 we can also get coach Olumide of BLA whose brand of football makes it hard for teams both home and abroad to escape heavy scoreline defeat whiles playing solid football from defence to attack. It’s time for NFF to do away with Ladan Bosso kudos to him but it is time to be honest and pick the best for the future of Nigeria football and let me see if any African country will escape the onslaught.