Boniface and Chukwueze Steal the Show as Nigerian Stars Light Up Preseason for Leverkusen and Milan
Super Eagles stars Victor Boniface and Samuel Chukwueze sent strong messages ahead of the new season with eye-catching performances for Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan respectively.
While Boniface came off the bench to score a stunning late winner against Newcastle United, Chukwueze produced a goal and two assists as Milan completed an impressive comeback against Manchester United.
Boniface Strikes Late to Sink Newcastle
Victor Boniface needed only a couple of minutes on the pitch to make his presence felt as Bayer Leverkusen defeated Newcastle United 2-1 at St. James’ Park.
The Super Eagles striker entered the game in the 80th minute, replacing Ibrahim Maza, with the score level after Malick Thiaw had cancelled out Maza’s early opener for Leverkusen.
Boniface then produced the decisive moment.
The Nigerian forward collected the ball near the edge of the penalty area, used a clever piece of skill to create space away from his marker and curled a composed finish into the bottom corner.
His goal arrived almost immediately after his introduction and completed Leverkusen’s comeback victory.
The strike also adds to an encouraging preseason for Boniface, who had already scored twice in Leverkusen’s emphatic 7-0 win over Sportfreunde Baumberg.
Nathan Tella also featured for the German side, coming on in the 80th minute alongside Boniface.
With the 2026/27 campaign approaching, Boniface’s latest display will provide further encouragement as he looks to establish himself as a key attacking option under new coach Carles Martínez Novell.
Chukwueze Puts on a Show Against Manchester United
If Boniface provided Leverkusen with a late spark, Samuel Chukwueze was the main attraction as AC Milan came from behind to defeat Manchester United 4-2.
The Nigerian winger played a starring role in Milan’s dramatic turnaround, scoring once and supplying two assists as the Rossoneri scored three times in the final 13 minutes.
United made a dream start when Harry Maguire headed home Bruno Fernandes’ delivery in the second minute.
Milan eventually found their equaliser through Chukwueze in the 37th minute. After Gonçalo Ramos created the opportunity with an unselfish pass inside the box, the Nigerian calmly finished from close range.
Patrick Dorgu restored United’s advantage early in the second half, but Chukwueze once again became central to Milan’s response.
He set up Alphadjo Cissé for the equaliser in the 57th minute before providing another assist for Ramos, who completed Milan’s turnaround in the 68th minute.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek then added a fourth goal three minutes later to seal a memorable victory.
Chukwueze’s latest performance takes his preseason contribution to one goal and three assists in two appearances.
He had already provided an assist in Milan’s 2-2 draw with Celtic, but his display against Manchester United represented another significant step forward.
The Nigerian winger appears to be finding his rhythm at precisely the right time, offering Milan greater creativity and penetration in the final third.
For both club and country, Chukwueze’s form will be particularly encouraging if he can carry this confidence into the competitive season.
