Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella made history as they played pivotal roles in helping Bayer Leverkusen secure the DFL Supercup in a thrilling fashion. The highly-anticipated match concluded with a tense penalty shootout victory over last year’s Bundesliga runners-up, VfB Stuttgart, in front of an enthusiastic BayArena crowd.
The game kicked off with an impressive start for Die Werkself, as Boniface found the net in the 11th minute, giving Leverkusen an early lead. The Nigerian forward took advantage of an excellently executed team play.
However, Stuttgart swiftly responded, equalizing the score with a remarkable long-range strike from Enzo Millot in the 18th minute. The tide appeared to turn further in Stuttgart’s favor when Martin Terrier was shown a red card in the 37th minute, leaving Leverkusen at a numerical disadvantage.
Despite an early replacement of Jonathan Tah with Boniface in the 41st minute, Stuttgart seized the lead in the 63rd minute as Deniz Undav tapped in a goal.
Notorious for their resilience, Leverkusen relentlessly pursued an equalizer and finally succeeded late in the game when Patrik Schick scored in the 88th minute, forcing the match into penalties.
In the subsequent shootout, Leverkusen emerged triumphant with a 4-3 win after Stuttgart’s Frans Krätzig and Silas missed their spot kicks. This victory not only secured the Supercup for Leverkusen but also extended their unbeaten streak in domestic matches, dating back to May 27, 2023.
Nathan Tella and Victor Boniface made history as the only Nigerian footballers to have won all available domestic trophies in Germany with this remarkable win.
After clinching victories in the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal last season, the Supercup triumph marks another notable achievement for them. While several Nigerian players have found success in Germany, none have been able to secure the domestic treble like Tella and Boniface.
Looking ahead to the upcoming season, the Nigerian duo aims to be instrumental in guiding Leverkusen towards further silverware, aiming to sustain their impressive run in German football.
