Super Eagles interim coach, Austin Eguavoen is confident that Victor Boniface will flourish in the national team but emphasizes that the striker needs to improve his decision-making to reach his full potential.
The wait for Boniface’s first international goal in a competitive match for Nigeria continues.
Boniface led the attack against Libya on Friday, but he saw little of the ball and had few opportunities to make an impact.
Before the match, Eguavoen had expressed optimism that the striker would break his goal drought when Nigeria host Libya, but the much-anticipated goal did not materialize.
Speaking after the game, Eguavoen stressed that the goalless performance does not diminish Boniface’s quality but noted that the forward must make quicker decisions in key areas of the pitch.
“Boniface is a clinical striker and a great finisher, but sometimes players struggle at the international level,” Eguavoen said.
“Opportunities can be scarce. I remember games in Rwanda and today, where we didn’t even create a half-chance.”
“He tends to hold on to the ball for too long, allowing defenders to recover. If he can make decisions faster, I believe he will score plenty of goals for the national team.”
Nigeria will face Libya again in the return fixture on Tuesday, and Boniface now faces stiff competition from Taiwo Awoniyi to retain his spot in the starting eleven.