Soccer

Nigeria dealt striker blow ahead of AFCON

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epa11039292 Leverkusen's Victor Boniface celebrates after scoring the 4-0 goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and VfL Bochum in Leverkusen, Germany, 20 December 2023. EPA/CHRISTOPHER NEUNDORF CONDITIONS - ATTENTION: The DFL regulations prohibit any use of photographs as image sequences and/or quasi-video.

Nigeria have been dealt a big blow ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations following the news that in-form striker Victor Boniface is likely to miss the tournament through injury.

The 23-year-old has scored 16 goals in 21 starts for German Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen this season and is among the form strikers in Europe.

He missed Nigeria’s timid 2-0 loss to Guinea in a pre-AFCON warm-up on Monday and appeared to rule himself out of the tournament amid suggestions he faces six weeks on the sidelines.

“Good luck guys. Wish you guys all the best at afcon @ng_supereagles,” Boniface wrote on his Instagram account.

It is the latest blow for the Super Eagles having lost midfielder Wilfred Ndidi to injury, and concerns over the fitness of experienced striker Kelechi Iheanacho who appears to be touch-and-go.

Nigeria open their Cup of Nations campaign with a Group A game against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday before meeting hosts Ivory Coast and then Guinea Bissau.