Boniface, Okonkwo shine as Nigerians excel in pre-season matches

Victor Boniface scored two goals as Bayer Leverkusen defeated Sportfreunde Baumberg 7-0 in a pre-season friendly. Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo kept a clean sheet as Wrexham won 1-0 against Manchester United in Helsinki. Several Super Eagles players showed their skills in pre-season on Saturday, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.

New signing Afonso Moreira started the scoring for Leverkusen with two goals in the first 27 minutes. Christian Kofane added a third before half-time. Boniface then netted twice in four minutes after the break. Robert Andrich made it six in the 56th minute, and Nathan Tella completed the scoring in the 67th minute.

Boniface spent last season on loan at Werder Bremen, but injuries limited his chances. He hopes returning to Leverkusen will help him get back to his best at the BayArena.

Okonkwo’s clean sheet in Helsinki came after a solid start to Wrexham's pre-season. He had previously played in a goalless draw with Wisla Krakow, where he saved a second-half penalty.

Super Eagles players Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi also played as Nottingham Forest started a new chapter under manager Olivier Glasner. They won 2-0 against Notts County. Brazilian striker Igor Jesus opened the scoring in the 26th minute. French forward Arnaud Kalimuendo added a second nine minutes into the second half.

Aina, who had an injury-plagued season last year, started the match and helped Forest keep a clean sheet in the first half. He was substituted for Nicolas Dominguez at half-time. Awoniyi came off the bench after the break. He ended last season well, scoring three goals and providing two assists in his last six league games, totaling four goals and two assists in 17 Premier League appearances.

Tella has received good news at Leverkusen. New coach Carles Martinez personally contacted him during his holiday in Ibiza. He wanted to assure Tella of an important role in his plans for the new season after a tough 2025-26 season filled with injuries.

“The coach is very vocal and provides a lot of communication. That is what we need as a team. It is good that the coach gives us the clear idea of what he expects from us as a team and what he expects from us on the pitch,” Tella said, in quotes reported by Fussballeuropa.