Boniface ecstatic over first UCL goal

Victor Boniface expressed his joy after scoring his maiden UEFA Champions League goal that secured a win for Bayer Leverkusen against AC Milan at the BayArena on Tuesday night, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The 22-year-old international netted the game’s only goal five minutes into the second half, tapping in a rebound after Jeremie Frimpong’s initial effort was saved. The win saw Bayer Leverkusen maintain their perfect start to the Champions League group stage, with six points from two matches.

Speaking to TNT Sports after the match, the Nigeria international said, “It’s really a good victory. We are happy we got the win. We know how strong the team is, and we are happy we got the win.”

The striker’s 21st-minute opener had been disallowed by VAR due to an offside call on Frimpong.

Undeterred, Boniface continued to threaten the Milan defence before finally breaking through in the 51st minute.

“As a striker, it’s important to score in every game, not just in the Champions League but every game,” Boniface added.

“We try to do our best every game—the league, Cup, and Champions League. I’m happy I got the first goal in the Champions League, so I feel really proud of myself.”

Boniface’s performance in Europe’s elite club competition adds to his impressive start to life in Germany. The former Union Saint-Gilloise striker has already notched seven goals and five assists in just eight Bundesliga appearances this season.

Bayer Leverkusen’s victory against seven-time Champions League winners AC Milan is particularly significant, given the Italian club’s pedigree in the competition. Only Real Madrid have more European Cup/Champions League titles than the Rossoneri.

The win comes on the heels of Leverkusen’s hard-fought 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga last weekend, further solidifying their credentials as serious contenders on both domestic and continental fronts.

As the German champions continue their impressive form under manager Xabi Alonso, all eyes will be on Boniface to see if he can maintain his goalscoring exploits and help the German club to success in both the Bundesliga and Champions League this season.