Victor Boniface long-awaited UEFA Champions League debut for Bayer Leverkusen was a bittersweet moment, filled with personal pride despite a scoreless performance in the team’s emphatic 4-0 victory over Feyenoord on Thursday evening.
The Super Eagles striker, whose rise to prominence has been inspiring, reflected on his incredible journey after the match, sharing a heartfelt message with fans on his X (formerly Twitter) page.
He wrote,
“From paying 30 naira to watch Champions League football for night back then for 323 army barrack Akure to playing my first Champions League game. Proud of this moment.”
His post highlighted the emotional significance of this milestone—a dream come true for a player who once paid to watch the competition and now stands among the stars.
Boniface’s debut may not have gone exactly as planned on a personal level, but Bayer Leverkusen’s dominant performance left no room for disappointment.
The Bundesliga side delivered a masterclass at De Kuip, crushing Dutch giants Feyenoord in a stunning display that set the tone for their European campaign.
Despite Boniface drawing blanks in front of goal, his presence was still felt as he worked tirelessly to create opportunities and came close to scoring twice.
Bayer Leverkusen wasted no time asserting their dominance, with Florian Wirtz opening the scoring just five minutes into the match.
Wirtz’s powerful strike from outside the box flew into the bottom right corner, giving the visitors an early lead.
Feyenoord thought they had equalised moments later when Ramiz Zerrouki found the back of the net, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review confirmed an offside.
Leverkusen doubled their lead in the 30th minute when Alejandro Grimaldo pounced on a perfect pass from Jeremie Frimpong to slot home from close range.
Six minutes later, Frimpong was at it again, delivering a precise cross that Wirtz converted for his second goal of the night, making it 3-0.
Boniface had his first real chance in the 27th minute, shaking off his marker and launching a low shot toward the middle of the goal, but Feyenoord’s Timon Wellenreuther was well-positioned to make the save.
The Nigerian forward came close again three minutes before halftime, bending an effort just wide of the left post after receiving a precise pass on the edge of the box.
Leverkusen sealed their victory with an unfortunate own goal from Feyenoord’s Wellenreuther, who mishandled a clearance and sent the ball into his own net, bringing the scoreline to 4-0.
Xabi Alonso then decided to introduce fresh legs in the 62nd minute; Boniface got substituted, making way for Patrik Schick.
However, that didn’t change the final outcome, as the game remained that way till the final whistle.
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