Coach Eguavoen reveals reason for Boniface’s poor performance against Rwanda

• The Super Eagles of Nigeria fell to defeat in their final Africa Cup of Nations qualification fixture against Rwanda
• Victor Boniface was largely underwhelming on the night, missing a flurry of chances against the Amavubi
• The interim coach of the Super Eagles, Augustine Eguavoen, has explained why the Bayer Leverkusen forward failed to score

It was a tale of missed opportunities and fluffed finishing for the Nigerian team as they fell to defeat in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification clash against Rwanda.

The Super Eagles, who were favourites against the Amavubi, had taken the lead in the encounter; however, two quick-fire goals from Ange Mutsinzi and Innocent Nshuti turned the tide in favour of the Rwandan team.

Victor Boniface put in another underwhelming performance in the clash against Rwanda. Image: MB Media.
Source: Getty Images

Amid the fest of disappointment that had heralded the Nigerian team's outing on the night, one thing that stood out was Victor Boniface's poor performance.

The Bayer Leverkusen forward, who led the Nigerian attack, missed all the attempts he was presented with, according to data courtesy of FotMob.

This display of ineptitude by Boniface has sparked criticism from fans of the Nigerian team. However, coach Augustine Eguavoen has come to his defence, explaining the reason for his poor outing on the night.

Eguavoen speaks on Boniface's performance

Speaking to the media, as captured by AllNigeriaSoccer, the 59-year-old coach explained that Boniface’s lack of confidence in the Super Eagles’ colours seems to be a key factor behind his poor performance.

“Boniface, we all know what he is capable of, especially at his club, but when he comes here, we try to give him a lot of confidence and playing time. For whatever reason, he’s not hitting the back of the net,” Eguavoen said during the post-match press conference. “I’ve spoken with him personally many times. I’m someone who wants to instil confidence in my players. I’ve done what I can, but he’s still part of the squad, and he will remain part of it.”

Boniface is currently on a run of 11 games without a goal for the Super Eagles, while his form at club level has been impressive, with eight goals in 13 appearances.

He will hope to find his form when the Super Eagles face Rwanda in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification match in Kigali next March.

Rwanda trolls Nigeria

Legit.ng in another report detailed how the Rwandan national team trolled Nigeria in the aftermath of their AFCON qualification triumph.

The Amavubi took to social media to share a cheeky message about the Nigerian team after their remarkable victory.

Source: Legit.ng