Nigerian striker Victor Boniface is back from injury to continue the hunt for three trophies with German Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen this season.
After being sidelined by a groin injury for three months, the 23-year-old returned to action for the run-away Bundesliga champions on Wednesday night as Xabi Alonso’s team romped to a 4-0 win over Düsseldorf in the DFB Pokal semi-final at BayArena.
Boniface, who, as a result of the injury, missed out on Nigeria’s AFCON campaign in Ivory Coast, was introduced in the 66th minute in place of Patrik Schick, a minute after his Nigeria teammate, Nathan Tella, came on for Morocco striker Amine Adli, who was also among the goals.
Flirian Wirtz weighed in with a brace and Frimpong also found target as they progressed to the final to face off with FC Kaiserslautern at Olympiastadion, Berlin, on May 25.
Boniface is on the cusp of adding the Bundesliga title to his trophy cabinet, with Leverkusen currently 13 points adrift of Bayern Munich in the pole position of the log, with their chances of dethroning the latter ever brighter.
Boniface will also possibly have a UEFA Europa League gold medal around his neck, as Leverkusen, who are unbeaten on 40 matches, the only club in Europe’s major leagues yet to be defeated this season, are primed for a quarter-final first leg clash with West Ham United at Bay Arena on April 11.
Meanwhile, Leverkusen manager, Xabi Alonso, admitted that Boniface’s timely return from injury was timely.
Now in the final of the German Cup, Alonso was quite pleased at having his star striker back in action, as they chase a hat-trick of trophies.
“It was special for him (to return) after three months out. He worked hard to get back on the pitch. He wanted to enjoy it with the players. We needed him back,” Alonso said.