Super Eagles forward, Victor Boniface, made his long-awaited return to action since his last appearance in Bayer Leverkusen’s German Bundesliga clash against Bochum, as reported by Soccernet.ng.
The Nigerian had been sidelined for several matches, both at club and country level, including the Super Eagles’ 2023 Africa Cup of Nations campaign, due to an adductor injury that required surgery.
However, in the 65th minute of Leverkusen’s dominant 4-0 victory over second-division side Düsseldorf in their DFB-Pokal semi-final clash at the Bay Arena, Boniface finally made his comeback, replacing Patrik Schick and marking his first appearance for the club in 2024.
See photos here:
Ahead of the match, comments made by Xabi Alonso in a press conference hinted at Boniface’s potential involvement in the game against third-place team Fortuna Düsseldorf.
According to reports from Sky Sport Germany, while Boniface may not have been fit for a full 90 minutes, he was expected to get approximately 30 minutes of playing time.
“Boni is in the squad, I don’t know how long he can play. Not 90 minutes, maybe not 45, but maybe 30. He has completed a great rehab. He has a strong mentality and can’t wait to get back on the pitch.” Alonso stated.
Despite Boniface’s return, his contribution to the game was limited as Leverkusen had already secured a comfortable lead, courtesy of goals from Jeremie Frimpong, Amine Adli, and Florian Wirtz, sending Alonso’s men through to the final.
⏸️
FINALISTS!
WE ARE GOING TO BERLIN!
90+1′ | 4-0 | #B04F95 #Bayer04 #DFBPokal #ForOurDream pic.twitter.com/lCHcoQUQFh
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) April 3, 2024
Boni says “SEE YOU IN BERLIN!” #B04F95 #Bayer04 #DFBPokal #ForOurDream @boniface_jrn pic.twitter.com/u976s6i0Ci
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) April 3, 2024
Leverkusen will now prepare to face Union Berlin in their upcoming fixture, aiming to maintain their position at the top of the league table, with Boniface eager to make a significant impact on his return to action.
N.B: How happy are you to see Victor Boniface return to action for the first time since 2023? Leave your comments below.