Nigeria’s Victor Boniface continued his impressive debut season in the Bundesliga by netting twice, helping Bayer Leverkusen secure a commanding 4-1 victory over Heidenheim on Sunday.
The 22-year-old opened the scoring by receiving a pass from Exequiel Palacios and showcasing his strength and precise control to maneuver past Heidenheim’s defender Siersleben. He then delivered a well-placed low shot beyond Kevin Mueller.
Heidenheim mounted pressure in the second half and their efforts paid off when Eren Dinkci received a pass from Jan-Niklas Beste and found the bottom corner to level the score.
However, it took barely five minutes for Leverkusen to regain the lead. Exequiel Palacios, who had been instrumental in their previous goal, orchestrated the play once more. He delivered an exquisite pass from the center circle, dissecting the Heidenheim defense. This allowed summer signing Jonas Hofmann to execute a first-time finish, marking his second league goal of the season.
Leverkusen further solidified their lead in the 74th minute when VAR determined that Lennard Maloney from Heidenheim had fouled Alex Grimaldo in the penalty area. Despite minimal contact, a penalty was awarded, which Boniface confidently converted down the middle, securing his sixth league goal of the season and eighth in all competitions.
Amine Adli added the finishing touch to the victory eight minutes from time with a standout goal, deftly chipping the ball over Heidenheim goalkeeper Müller. This made it 4-1 and capped off an excellent day for Xabi Alonso’s team, who have now notched up four wins out of five in the Bundesliga.
