Nigeria’s striker, Victor Boniface, indicated on Monday that he is likely to miss this month’s Africa Cup of Nations due to a groin injury sustained during training. The 23-year-old Bayer Leverkusen forward was absent from his country’s final warm-up friendly against Guinea, and local media reports suggest he could be sidelined for up to six weeks.
Taking to his Instagram account, Boniface expressed his well-wishes to the Nigerian national team, stating, “Good luck guys. Wish you guys all the best at AFCON @ng_supereagles.”
As the top scorer for Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen with 10 goals in 16 league games this season, Boniface’s absence is a significant blow. Having made his international debut in October, he has earned four more caps since.
This injury setback comes in addition to the recent withdrawal of Nigeria midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, who sustained an injury in Leicester City’s match against Cardiff City on December 29. Another concern is the fitness of Kelechi Iheanacho, Boniface’s Leicester teammate, who is still under assessment at Nigeria’s training camp. There is optimism that Iheanacho will recover in time for the tournament, which commences on Saturday.
Nigeria is set to begin their Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a Group A match against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday, followed by clashes against hosts Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau.
