Super Eagles: Ex-International backs Victor Boniface to find scoring form

By Saheed Afolabi

Former Nigerian international, Dimeji Lawal, has expressed confidence that Victor Boniface will soon find his scoring touch for the Super Eagles, following a string of goalless appearances for the national team.

The Bayer Leverkusen forward has struggled to replicate his club form with the Super Eagles, failing to score in 12 appearances, which has led to increasing criticism from fans.

However, Lawal believes the situation is not unique to Boniface, and he expects the striker’s goal-scoring drought to end soon.

“I don’t think anyone should blame Boniface for his inability to transfer his club form to the Super Eagles,” Lawal told Complete Sports. “It’s not uncommon for players who score goals for their clubs in Europe to struggle when they play in African football. We’ve seen this happen many times before.”

Lawal emphasized that Boniface’s absence from the team wouldn’t have been a viable solution, especially considering the team’s results.

“If he had been dropped and we lost the game without him, people would have questioned the coach’s decision. That’s why it’s difficult for coaches to make decisions,” he explained.

Lawal also drew a comparison to Nigerian football legend Kanu Nwankwo, who, despite his stellar career, never scored a goal in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) during his playing days.

“Remember that Kanu played in all the Nations Cup tournaments before he retired, but he never scored a single goal. Would anyone say a coach inviting Kanu was foolish?” Lawal asked. “The same applies to Boniface – he’s a crucial part of the Super Eagles, and no coach would take that lightly.”

He added that Boniface’s performance in one of the top leagues in Europe is something to be proud of and a key reason why he should remain a vital part of the national team.

“Watching Boniface score in one of the best leagues in the world is something we all appreciate. It would be wrong to not include him in the national team. A coach who leaves him out would be inviting trouble from Nigerians,” Lawal stated confidently.

Despite the criticism, Lawal remains positive that Boniface will soon rediscover his form with the Super Eagles, making an important contribution to the team’s future success.

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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