Former Nigerian defender Taribo West, is confident that Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface, will deliver goals for the Super Eagles.
Boniface got the nod of Eagles interim coach, Augustine Eguavoen, to start in Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against the Republic of Benin in Uyo and Rwanda in Kigali, due to the fitness issues surrounding Victor Osimhen and Taiwo Awoniyi.
The 23-year-old, however, failed to get on the score sheet or register an assist, despite Nigeria defeating the Cheetahs 3-0 at home before the 0-0 away against the Amavubi.
Taribo said Boniface, who scored a brace and provided an assist in Leverkusen’s 4-0 thumping of Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga last weekend, is still young and facing competition in Eagles attacking line.
“I think he will come up. It is normal, he is a young player and already in that position, there are established players. Osimhen is hot, Ademola (Lookman) is hot, and then the wingers, Simon is doing well, so it is a normal thing,” he said on Brila FM’s ‘No Holds Barred’ on Tuesday.
“So anytime he comes into the game, there is this anxiety to score. But I think he is a young player with a hot prospect for the national team. He is hot in Europe and I think he will bring that fire to Nigeria. It is just a matter of time because he has not settled into the national team.”
The 50-year-old, who is now a clergyman, also said changes in the technical crew could also be a factor.
“It is a normal thing. New coaches coming in and all that, so it is a normal thing and time will come when he would fit into the team in the right moment and at the right time. The necessary goals he needs to score will come,” Taribo stated.
He added: “They should not put too much pressure on him and he should not put himself under pressure because he would want to impress.
“That was what I saw against Benin (Republic). He wanted to impress but if he had played the way he does at Leverkusen, he would have scored.”
Boniface missed the 2023 AFCON due to a groin problem he picked up while in the Eagles camp.
