Jose Peseiro laments Victor Boniface’s Afcon absence, deems him a game-changer

Former Nigeria head coach, Jose Peseiro, has voiced his remorse over the absence of Bayer Leverkusen striker, Victor Boniface, during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), citing his potential to alter the team’s fate.

Boniface’s untimely injury dashed Nigeria’s aspirations at the tournament, as they fell short in the final against hosts Cote d’Ivoire with a 2-1 defeat. Pessiro firmly believes that Boniface could have been the missing piece.

Expressing his sentiments in an interview with Africafootunited, Pessiro remarked, “I firmly believe that Boniface would have been a game-changer had he not been sidelined by injury.”

“He possessed the confidence and skill to seamlessly integrate into our two-man attacking setup. His ability to operate on either flank would have provided us with invaluable tactical flexibility. His absence significantly limited our options to refine our strategy,” Pessiro added.

Before his injury setback, Boniface had been in exceptional form, contributing to 24 goal involvements (16 goals, 8 assists) in 23 appearances across all competitions for Bayer Leverkusen.

Pessiro concluded, “Beyond his prolific goal-scoring record, Boniface’s adaptability and versatility would have undoubtedly bolstered our squad dynamics.”