Boniface recovers from penalty miss to score Leverkusen winner

Victor Boniface redeemed himself from an early penalty miss to score the winning goal for Bayer Leverkusen as the Bundesliga champions secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt at the BayArena on Saturday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The Nigeria striker, who has been in scintillating form since joining the German club in the summer of 2023, showcased his resilience and determination in a match that epitomised his growing importance to Xabi Alonso’s side.

Boniface’s eventful afternoon began with a golden opportunity to put Leverkusen ahead early in the game. The hosts were awarded a penalty when Amine Adli was fouled by Junior Dina Ebimbe in the box. However, the usually reliable Boniface saw his tame spot-kick saved by Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, momentarily dampening the spirits of the home crowd.

The missed penalty seemed to galvanise the visitors, who took the lead through Omar Marmoush. The Bundesliga’s top scorer continued his impressive run, netting for the sixth consecutive league game from the penalty spot after Robert Andrich had committed a foul in the area.

Leverkusen, displaying the resilience that has become a hallmark of their play under Alonso, fought back to level the scores before halftime. It was Andrich who made amends for his earlier error, finishing off a flowing move with a precise low shot into the far corner.

The second half saw Boniface at the centre of Leverkusen’s relentless assault on the Frankfurt goal, and the 23-year-old, who has already notched seven goals and one assist in just eight Bundesliga appearances this season, found himself thwarted on several occasions by the excellent Trapp.

As the match wore on, Leverkusen’s dominance became increasingly apparent. Andrich struck the post, and Boniface continued to probe the Frankfurt defence, searching for the elusive winner. The breakthrough finally came when Florian Wirtz’s cross was only partially cleared by Trapp, allowing Boniface to head home and send the BayArena into raptures.

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