Boniface’s last-minute goal secures dramatic win for Leverkusen over Wolfsburg
Nigerian forward Victor Boniface came off the bench to score a 93rd-minute winner as Bayer Leverkusen snatched a thrilling 3-2 victory against VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
The result moved Leverkusen to second in the league standings, with nine points from four matches, sitting ahead of Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, both of whom were set to play later that day.
Leverkusen is now tied with SC Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt, though their performance on the day was far from smooth.
The match started poorly for Leverkusen, with an own goal conceded in just the fourth minute.
Nordi Mukiele’s unfortunate error gave Wolfsburg an early lead, putting Leverkusen on the back foot.
Despite this setback, the home side fought back, equalizing in the 13th minute when Florian Wirtz found space at the edge of the box and calmly placed his shot into the bottom corner.
Leverkusen’s momentum continued when Jonathan Tah rose unmarked to head in a second goal, capitalizing on a well-placed cross at the back post.
However, Wolfsburg responded quickly, with Mattias Svanberg cutting through Leverkusen’s defense on a driving run, curling a shot past goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky just before the halftime whistle.
The equalizer left the two teams level at 2-2 as they headed into the break.
Leverkusen’s coach, Xabi Alonso, who had shuffled his lineup after their 4-0 victory over Feyenoord in the Champions League, made several changes throughout the match.
One of these alterations paid off early in the second half when substitute Piero Hincapie headed in from a corner just minutes after the restart, putting Leverkusen back in front at 3-2.
Wolfsburg continued to press for another equalizer and came close when Sebastiaan Bornauw’s header leveled the score once again.
But it was Leverkusen’s sustained pressure and determination that ultimately proved decisive.
Alonso made more substitutions, introducing strikers Boniface and Martin Terrier in search of a winner.
With Leverkusen pushing hard in the final minutes, Wolfsburg’s situation worsened when Yannick Gerhardt, a substitute, was sent off in the 88th minute.
Gerhardt was shown a straight red card after a reckless challenge on Jeremie Frimpong, stepping on the defender’s ankle after a late tackle.
Sensing an opportunity, Leverkusen surged forward, and Boniface, who had started on the bench despite scoring twice in the previous league game, seized the moment.
The Nigerian forward pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area, firing home the game-winning goal in stoppage time, sealing all three points for the hosts.
The victory leaves Leverkusen in a strong position as they prepare for a crucial clash against league leaders Bayern Munich on Saturday.
Coach Alonso will be hoping that his team can build on this dramatic win as they aim to challenge for the top spot in the Bundesliga.
Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka, despite the win, was critical of the team’s defensive performance, saying: “We need to be much better at the back.
We gave away too many easy chances, and we can’t afford to do that against stronger teams.”
The thrilling nature of the match, combined with Boniface’s late heroics, will give Leverkusen confidence as they look ahead to their next challenge, hoping to close the gap on Bayern Munich at the top of the table.
VICTOR BONIFACE I LOVE YOU! 🇳🇬
90′ | 4-3 | #B04WOB @boniface_jrn pic.twitter.com/pcNWAFIFoD
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) September 22, 2024
