Nigeria’s national football team, the Super Eagles, has suffered a setback as Bayer Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface sustained an injury, rendering him unfit for the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
This adds to the earlier blow suffered with Leicester City’s midfielder Wilfred Ndidi also ruled out due to injury.
With this latest development, Nigeria faces the AFCON challenge without one of Europe’s prolific goal scorers, a significant loss for the three-time African champions.
Expressing his dismay, Boniface shared on his X account, “U20 Nations Cup got injured 7 days before Nations Cup. Super Eagles got injured 6 days before the Nations Cup. Only GOD knows why.”
In an Instagram post, he wished the team well, writing, “Good luck guys… Wish you all the best at AFCON.”
Reportedly, the player sustained a groin injury, sidelining him from the team’s recent 2-0 defeat against Guinea in a pre-AFCON match.
Boniface is anticipated to seek medical attention in Germany and could face approximately six weeks on the sidelines.
Notably, Boniface stands among the top scorers in the German Bundesliga this season.
As the tournament draws near, Nigeria’s Head Coach Jose Peseiro is expected to make a replacement call for the 23-year-old forward.