Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface has extended his goalless streak for Nigeria to seven matches after failing to score in the team’s 1-0 victory over Libya during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Friday.
This marks just one day shy of a year since Boniface last found the net for Nigeria, having opened his international account with a goal in a 2-2 friendly against Saudi Arabia on October 13, 2023.
Since that initial goal, Boniface has gone seven games without scoring for the national team.
In response, Super Eagles interim head coach Austin Eguavoen provided insights into Boniface’s current form, highlighting both the striker’s potential and his struggles in front of goal while representing Nigeria.
After Nigeria’s narrow 1-0 victory over Libya, Eguavoen stated, “Boniface is a clinical striker, a clinical finisher, but he is struggling in national colours. Sometimes these chances don’t come.”
Eguavoen also pointed out that decision-making in crucial moments has been a challenge for the young forward.
“I remember in Rwanda, and today as well, when you get half a chance, players like Romario would poke the ball in, but he wants to overthink and overdo it, allowing defenders to recover,” he explained.
Despite his concerns, Eguavoen expressed confidence in Boniface’s ability to deliver more consistently, saying, “If he makes quicker decisions, I believe Boniface will score a lot of goals. I will discuss this with him.”
Boniface’s difficulty in replicating his impressive form at Bayer Leverkusen for Nigeria was again evident on Friday, as he failed to register a shot on target despite starting the match. After 74 minutes of play without a significant impact, Eguavoen substituted him for Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi, thus extending Boniface’s goal drought to seven matches with the national team.
The Super Eagles managed to secure a vital 1-0 win over Libya in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, thanks to a late goal from substitute Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.
This victory bolstered Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for AFCON 2025, placing them at the top of Group D with seven points.
