“He’s made his mark” – Horst Steffen hails Victor Boniface after dream Werder Bremen debut

Victor Boniface wasted no time announcing himself at Werder Bremen, with head coach Horst Steffen praising the Nigerian striker for his impact in last weekend’s 4-0 demolition of Borussia Mönchengladbach, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 24-year-old, on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, came off the bench late on and set up Justin Njinmah to cap a dominant display.

“He (Boniface) can continue, and we can continue to be happy. We’re happy that he’s here and has already made his mark,” Steffen said as per Weltski. 

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Boniface’s move to Bremen was sealed on deadline day after a frustrating summer in which a proposed switch to AC Milan collapsed over medical concerns.

Leverkusen were ready to cut ties after a season blighted by injuries, and Bremen took the gamble. It already looks inspired.

His cameo in Gladbach injected fresh energy into a side that had been under pressure following a poor start. Bremen had crashed out of the DFB Cup and opened their league campaign with a 4-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt before a 3-3 draw against Boniface’s parent club.

The convincing win lifted Bremen to ninth in the Bundesliga and left Steffen determined to keep the momentum.

“I’m happy to take this atmosphere with me and show it,” the coach said. “But we have to do a lot against Freiburg to ensure this positive atmosphere continues.”

The match was notable for its Nigerian flavour. Full-back Felix Agu played the full 90 minutes, while Njinmah – a German forward eligible for Nigeria – struck the final blow after Boniface’s assist.

For Boniface, who was named Bundesliga Rookie of the Season in 2023, Bremen offers a chance to reset after his Leverkusen frustrations. Ironically, Erik ten Hag, the Bayer Leverkusen coach who deemed him surplus to requirements, was dismissed just three games into the campaign.

Now at the Weserstadion, Boniface has the platform to relaunch his Bundesliga career. His sharp debut, combining physicality with clever link-up play, suggests Bremen may have struck gold with a player many had written off.