Super Eagles interim coach Augustine Eguavoen has expressed disappointment with Victor Boniface’s poor form for the national team after the Bayer Leverkusen forward failed to impress once again during Nigeria’s 2-1 loss to Rwanda in their final Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers game on Monday evening.
Boniface was named in the starting lineup for the clash against the Amavubi but struggled to impose himself on the game despite spending 89 minutes on the pitch.
The striker has now gone 11 games for the Super Eagles without finding the back of the net, a stark contrast to his performances for his club, where he has recorded eight goals in 15 games for Leverkusen.
The 23-year-old forward has faced backlash from Nigerian fans for his poor displays.
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Eguavoen on Boniface’s poor form for Nigeria
Interim coach Eguavoen clarified that he has done his best to help Boniface overcome this challenge, but the problem persists.
“Boniface, we all know what he’s capable of doing, especially for his club, and when he comes back here, we try to give him a lot of confidence and playing time, but he’s not hitting the back of the net for whatever reason.
“I’ve spoken to him personally many times. I’m someone who wants to give players confidence.
“I’ve done enough, but he’s still part of the squad and will remain a part of the squad,” he said in the Nigeria vs. Rwanda post-match conference, shared by Onejoblessboy on X.
Despite the loss, Nigeria had already secured qualification for the 2025 AFCON tournament. They will now shift focus to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, with their next game set against Rwanda in March.
