Boniface needs more time to overcome goal drought with Super Eagles, says Ikpeba

Johnson OpeisaOctober 9, 20241 Mins read225

Bayer Leverkusen's Nigerian forward #22 Victor Boniface reacts during the German first division Bundesliga football match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany on May 5, 2024. Leverkusen won the match 5-1. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP) / DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO (Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)

Since scoring on his debut for Nigeria over one year ago, Boniface has fired blanks in his next seven appearances. However, Victor Ikpeba believes the 23-year-old needs more time to settle.

Super Eagles’s legend Victor Ikpeba has stated that Victor Boniface still requires time to fully adapt to the team’s setup before he starts scoring consistently.

Since scoring on his debut against São Tomé and Príncipe on September 10, 2023, Boniface has fired blanks in front of goal during his subsequent seven appearances for the three-time African champions.

“Sometimes, players need time to adapt to the national team. International football is different from club football, both in style and rhythm. At the club level, you spend months training and playing with the same teammates, which helps your performance,” Ikpeba explained.

“Victor is still relatively new to the national team and is adjusting to playing with unfamiliar teammates. I believe the goals will come. He came very close to scoring against Rwanda, so he just needs to focus on his game, especially with the competition for his position.”

The 1994 African Nations Cup winner compared Boniface’s situation to Victor Osimhen’s early struggles with the national team, emphasising that it took Osimhen time to become a consistent goalscorer for Nigeria.

“Nigerian fans need to be patient; the goals will come. Even Victor Osimhen took time to settle and start scoring consistently for the national team,” he concluded.

Boniface, however, had a quick start at Bayer Leverkusen, where he scored 23 goals and provided 10 assists in 35 matches during the 2023/24 season. The 23-year-old has continued his impressive form this season, recording six goals and one assist in nine appearances across all competitions.

With Osimhen injured, Boniface is expected to lead the Super Eagles’s attack in interim head coach Austin Eguavoen’s squad for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers against Libya on October 11 and 15.