Victor Boniface Speaks About Replacing Osimhen in Super Eagles Against Libya
- Victor Osimhen was not selected for the Super Eagles games against Libya due to a muscle injury he is nursing
- Sevilla forward Kelechi Iheanacho was selected as his replacement but is expected to start on the bench
- Bayer Leverkusen forward is tipped to get the starting berth, and he has spoken about filling Osimhen's shoes
Victor Boniface is expected to lead the line for the Super Eagles in the absence of Victor Osimhen, and the Bayer Leverkusen star has spoken about replacing him.
Osimhen was not called up after failing to recover from a muscle injury suffered during Galatasaray’s 3-3 draw against Kasimpasa, in which he scored his first goal for the club.
Source: Getty Images
According to Daily Post, interim head coach Augustine Eguavoen called up three strikers for the doubleheader AFCON 2025 qualifier games against Libya: Kelechi Iheanacho, Taiwo Awoniyi and Boniface.
Boniface speaks on replacing Osimhen
Even though Eguavoen stated that Iheanacho is Osimhen's direct replacement on the 23-man list, Boniface is expected to be the leading man in the absence of the Galatasaray star.
The Leverkusen star, who is waiting for his first goal for the national team, has spoken up about the pressure of replacing one of the Super Eagles' best goalscorers for the games against Libya.
“I don’t feel any pressure. It’s not just me; we have other strikers, Kelechi, Awoniyi and myself. If I play, if any of us play, we will try to get the win,” he told Football Fans Tribe.
“For me, the most important thing is the team’s performance. If we are winning and I’m not scoring, then I don’t have any problem. Whatever people want to say, they should say it, but as long as we are getting the win, then it’s fine by me.”
UK-based sports journalist Rilwan Balogun who spoke exclusively to Legit.ng believes Boniface will not replace Osimhen as they are different players, but the manager can adapt the team to get the best out of the Leverkusen star.
“This is quite nuanced. While I think Boniface has yet to really come to life in a Super Eagles shirt, he possesses a range of qualities that make him unpredictable. He’s a lot more dynamic in his football than Osimhen, but the Galatasaray star offers something totally different and could be a bit more suited to our less intensive tactical setup,” he said.
“Osimhen has a natural ginger and hunger on the ball that I don’t think Boniface lacks, but their expression of it is totally different. So, to be honest with you, I don’t think Boniface offers the same characteristics in that regard. He’s a different player, and the coach should adapt the tactics to his strengths as he can be a strong X factor too.”
The Eagles are at the top of the group with four points, and picking up maximum points in both games against the Mediterranean Knights sets them on the path to qualify for the tournament in Morocco next year.
Eguavoen defends Iheanacho's call-up
Legit.ng reported that Augustine Eguavoen defended his decision to invite Kelechi Iheanacho for the October international break despite his poor form at Sevilla.
Iheanacho joined the club as a free agent in the summer but has yet to score but was preferred to replace the injured Victor Osimhen over other in-form forwards.
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Source: Legit.ng
