Super Eagles forward Victor Boniface scored a brace and assisted another in Bayer Leverkusen’s 4-1 thrashing of Hoffenheim at the PreZero Arena on Saturday.
Die Werkself, who were hoping to get back to winning ways after their unbeaten run of 462 days ended with a defeat to RB Leipzig just before the international break, got off to a great start as they scored the opener in the 17th minute.
Back to winning ways! 💪🖤❤️
90+5′ | 1-4 | #TSGB04 pic.twitter.com/Y7vkp5rKYo
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) September 14, 2024
French forward Martin Terrier broke the deadlock for visitors with a strike into an empty net after Boniface had beaten the offside trap and teed him up inside the 18-yard box.
The Nigerian doubled Leverkusen’s lead 13 minutes later with his first goal of the game and the new Bundesliga season. After beating the offside trap once again from a Granit Xhaka pass, Boniface still had much to do as he shrugged off a defender, before sitting him down with sublime footwork and beating goalkeeper Oliver Baumann.
Hoffenheim drew one back in the 37th minute through German forward Mergim Berisha. The 26-year-old received a cross from Andrej Kramaric on the half turn before toe poking it past Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky.
Boniface came close to restoring the visitor’s two-goal lead in first half stoppage time, but the former Union Saint-Gilloise man was denied by Baumann after another fine work to beat Hoffenheim’s high line.
Hoffenheim’s attempt soon seemed like a consolation as Florian Wirtz made it three for Xabi Alonso’s men in the 72nd minute, converting a penalty kick to take his season tally to three league games in the opening three games.
Boniface capped off Leverkusen’s ruthlessness in front of goal with another brilliant individual goal. The 23-year-old drove in from the left side, before cutting in on his left foot and letting fly a powerful strike into the net.
Two Goals.
One Assist.
Victor Boniface. 😮💨🇳🇬#TSGB04 pic.twitter.com/e7MLYnVkzB— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) September 14, 2024
The victory was Leverkusen’s second of the season and it takes them into fifth place with six points, three behind league leaders Bayern Munich, who have maintained their perfect start to the new campaign with the 6-1 rout of Holstein Kiel.
