Victor Boniface marked his return to Bayer Leverkusen with two goals as the Bundesliga club cruised to a 7-0 victory over fifth-tier side Sportfreunde Baumberg in their opening pre-season friendly on Saturday, Boldsports report.
Fellow Super Eagles forward Nathan Tella also found the net as Leverkusen began preparations for the 2026/27 campaign in emphatic fashion.
Boniface returned to Leverkusen this summer after spending last season on loan at Werder Bremen. His loan spell was disrupted by injuries that limited his playing time and consistency. The 25-year-old also reported early for pre-season training, underlining his determination to fight for a place in the squad ahead of the new season.
New head coach Carles Martínez rotated his squad by using different line-ups in each half. Boniface started on the bench before entering after the interval.
Leverkusen had already built a comfortable 3-0 lead before halftime. Summer signing Afonso Moreira struck twice inside the opening 27 minutes, while Christian Kofane added another goal to put the Bundesliga side in full control.
Boniface wasted little time after coming on. The Nigerian striker scored twice within four minutes, showing sharp movement and clinical finishing. He latched onto two low deliveries and converted both chances to extend Leverkusen’s advantage.
Robert Andrich added the sixth goal with a powerful long-range strike before Nathan Tella completed the scoring in the 67th minute, reacting quickest to a rebound inside the penalty area.
Although the match lasted 70 minutes instead of the usual 90, Bayer Leverkusen dominated throughout and displayed their attacking depth against the lower-league hosts.
The victory gives Martínez an encouraging start to pre-season as his squad builds fitness for the weeks ahead. Leverkusen will continue their preparations with friendlies against Offenbach, Sevilla, Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.
For Boniface, the performance offers an early boost in his battle for a regular starting role. The Super Eagles striker will compete with Patrik Schick and Christian Kofane for the centre-forward position as Leverkusen prepare for another Bundesliga campaign.
More Read
© Bold Sports Media. All rights reserved. If sharing, kindly credit Bold Sports as the source and include a link to the original post. Unauthorised use is prohibited.
