Former Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro, expressed his regret over the absence of Bayer Leverkusen striker, Victor Boniface, at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. The 23-year-old player was sidelined due to an injury sustained during the team’s training camp in Abu Dhabi, depriving Nigeria of a key player in their quest for the title.
Peseiro had high hopes for Boniface, envisioning a partnership with Victor Osimhen upfront that could have potentially changed the course of the tournament. However, fate had other plans as the promising striker was forced to watch from the sidelines.
Despite leading Nigeria to the final of the AFCON, where they narrowly lost to Ivory Coast, Peseiro believes that Boniface’s presence could have tipped the scales in their favor. The Portuguese coach emphasized the striker’s versatility and confidence, highlighting his ability to adapt to different attacking formations.
Unfortunately, Peseiro’s tenure with the Super Eagles came to an end as contract negotiations with the Nigerian Football Federation fell through. Nevertheless, his admiration for Boniface’s potential impact on the team remains unwavering.
In an interview in Portugal, Peseiro lamented, “I will say that Boniface would have made the difference without injury. He was very confident and can play comfortably in our two-man attacking style. He can also play on both sides of the strikers and that would have made him our invisible arc in the tournament. Our options to refine our style were limited in his absence.”
As Nigeria reflects on their AFCON journey, the absence of Victor Boniface serves as a reminder of the fine margins that separate success from disappointment in the world of football. Despite the setback, the Super Eagles and their fans can only wonder what could have been if fate had been kinder to their talented striker.
