The former Spain international midfielder showered praises on Nigerian youngster, Victor Boniface, after another stellar performance
Following their Bundesliga clash on Saturday, Bayer Leverkusen's head coach, Xabi Alonso has lavished praise on Victor Boniface, hailing him as a “complete striker” after his stellar brace, Soccernet.ng reports.
Boniface's exceptional performance was instrumental in guiding his team to a resounding 5-1 triumph over Darmstadt.
Right from the start, Leverkusen asserted dominance, launching relentless attacks. Initially, they grappled with breaching Darmstadt's determined defense.
However, the breakthrough occurred in the 21st minute when Boniface embarked on a solo counter-attack, deftly dribbled past two defenders, and calmly chipped the ball home from close range.
Although Darmstadt managed to equalise a mere four minutes later, it failed to dampen Leverkusen's resolve.
The Black and Reds sustained their control, with Exequiel Palacios igniting their second-half charge with a 49th-minute goal.
Boniface further solidified his status as the star of the match with another goal in the 61st minute, followed by strikes from Jonas Hofmann (68′) and substitute Adam Hlozek (83′), securing a thoroughly deserved 5-1 victory at home.
Boniface emerged as the unquestionable match-winner, tallying the opening two goals.
Impressively, this marked his second consecutive brace, following a similar performance against Borussia Mönchengladbach the previous weekend.
The 22-year-old Nigerian forward has now amassed four goals this season, earning accolades from head coach Alonso.
“Victor is not merely a proficient striker; he is a complete player,” noted the former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder, emphasizing the player's versatile skill set.
“And you can see that he gets along very well with his teammates, both on and off the pitch.”
Boniface himself expressed his joy after the victory, remarking,
“We are thrilled with the win. Our synergy on the field is excellent, and if we maintain this level, we'll continue to enjoy success together.”
Meanwhile, in the 72nd minute, another notable moment transpired as Werkself's new signing, Nathan Tella, made his Bundesliga debut.
With the score at 4-1, Alonso introduced the Englishman, who demonstrated ambition and took several shots at goal.
Looking ahead, after the international break, Bayer Leverkusen will face a formidable challenge on Matchday 4 of the Bundesliga.
On Friday, September 15th, the Black and Reds will visit FC Bayern Munich, where they will put to the test their title aspirations against the reigning champions.
