Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface and Bayer Leverkusen were held to a frustrating goalless draw by Wolfsburg on Saturday, dropping two vital points just days before their crucial title showdown with Bayern Munich, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.
Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso opted to rotate his squad, resting key players such as Florian Wirtz and Patrik Schick while handing Boniface a starting role. However, the tactical gamble did not produce the desired outcome at the Volkswagen Arena.
Boniface, who earned his place in the lineup after scoring the decisive goal in Leverkusen’s DFB Pokal quarter-final victory over FC Koln on Wednesday, saw a second-half effort blocked but was unable to add to his recent scoring streak.
Wolfsburg appeared to have taken an early lead when Konstantinos Koulierakis found the net with a header, but the goal was ruled out for offside. The first half was largely disrupted by frequent fouls, preventing either side from finding any real rhythm.
This result marks Leverkusen’s seventh draw of the Bundesliga season, leaving them eight points adrift of league leaders Bayern Munich, whom they will face in a highly anticipated clash next week.
Alonso made eight changes from their midweek cup victory, with Edmond Tapsoba, Jeremie Frimpong, and the suspended Alex Grimaldo joining Schick and Wirtz on the bench. The Spanish coach had previously hinted at the possibility of fielding Boniface and Schick together in upcoming matches, given their strong goal-scoring form.
“That’s an option for the future,” Alonso told the Bundesliga website.
“The most important thing is having quality players. Then we can decide whether to play with one, two, or even three forwards.”
Since returning from a thigh injury that sidelined him for 14 games, Boniface has scored twice in three appearances, while Schick has netted three times in the same period, including a brace in the cup win over Koln.
Despite failing to secure maximum points, Leverkusen extended their unbeaten Bundesliga run against Wolfsburg to seven matches. Meanwhile, the Wolves will be pleased with a result that bolsters their pursuit of European football next season.
