The medical staff of German club Bayer Leverkusen are displeased with the decision of the manager of the senior national team of Nigeria Austine Eguavoen for not resting Victor Boniface in the Super Eagles’ final AFCON Qualifiers match against Rwanda.
Nigeria earned a spot at next year’s AFCON before stepping onto the pitch in their penultimate game against Benin Republic, which ended in a 1-1. They concluded their journey in the tournament at home in Uyo, where they were defeated narrowly 1-2.
Boniface participated in both games, starting the last game at home against Rwanda, which the club’s management feel he shouldn’t have played because he ended up worsening a thigh strain that he had been dealing with for a while.
He is now set for a prolonged spell on the touchline, with reports that he could be out for almost three months if it’s found to be more serious than initially expected.
It will be the second major injury the 23-year-old, who is yet to score for the senior national team of Nigeria, will experience, after missing most of the games of the second half of last season with a thigh problem picked up while at the Super Eagles camp for the AFCON.
Sources in the team of the Super Eagles said Boniface hid the injury to play against Rwanda due to the burden he is facing over his goal drought. The injury was why he wasn’t at his peak in the game, dropping one of his worst performances ever in a Super Eagles jersey.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
