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“Excellent at positioning” – Nathan Tella credits Boniface for match-winning goal vs Bayern

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“Excellent at positioning” – Nathan Tella credits Boniface for match-winning goal vs Bayern

By Monsurah Olatunji

Nigeria international Nathan Tella has praised his Bayer Leverkusen teammates, Victor Boniface and Patrick Schick, for their influence on his match-winning goal against Bayern Munich in the DFB-Pokal on Tuesday night.

Tella’s header in the 69th minute, from a perfect cross by Alex Grimaldo, secured a 1-0 victory for Leverkusen at Allianz Arena.

Bayern Munich were reduced to 10 men in the 17th minute after goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was shown a straight red card.

Reflecting on his goal, Tella explained how closely he’s been watching his teammates’ movement, particularly Boniface, to improve his own positioning.

“I’ve watched Patrick and Victor a lot this season. They’re excellent at positioning between defenders and the post,” Tella said on the club’s official website.

“I knew once Grimaldo had the ball wide, he was going to deliver into the box, so I thought if I got into the same position, I’d have a chance. Thankfully, the ball was perfect, and I managed to score.”

While Tella continues to shine, Boniface is currently sidelined with a thigh injury sustained during Nigeria’s AFCON qualifier against Rwanda. The Nigerian striker is expected to be out until next year.

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Samuel Ahmadu
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
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