Super Eagles players Nathan Tella and Victor Boniface were in action for Bayer Leverkusen but were unable to prevent their side from suffering a 3-2 defeat to RB Leipzig at the BayArena on Saturday.
Bayer Leverkusen entered the match full of confidence after a strong start to the season, having come from behind to defeat Bayer Monchengladbach in their opening fixture. However, they faced a much tougher challenge in RB Leipzig.
Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso started Nigerian striker Victor Boniface in the lineup, while Nathan Tella began the game on the bench. Die Werkself dominated the first half, displaying better control and creating more opportunities. Their persistence paid off in the 39th minute when Jeremie Frimpong broke the deadlock with a well-taken goal.
Boniface nearly doubled the lead with an acrobatic effort in the 43rd minute, but his attempt narrowly missed the target.
READ MORE: Revealed: Why Bruno Labbadia WILL not be available for Nigeria vs Benin Republic/Rwanda
Just two minutes later, Alejandro Grimaldo struck to make it 2-0, giving Leverkusen a comfortable lead. However, RB Leipzig’s Kevin Kampl pulled one back in stoppage time of the first half, ensuring the visitors remained in the contest.
The second half saw a dramatic shift in momentum as Leipzig mounted a comeback. Lois Openda equalized for Leipzig in the 57th minute, making it 2-2. Nathan Tella was brought on to help Leverkusen regain control, but the move proved ineffective as Leipzig’s Openda struck again in the 80th minute to complete the turnaround.
The 3-2 defeat not only handed Bayer Leverkusen their first loss of the season but also ended their impressive 35-game unbeaten run. Despite the disappointing result, the performances of Boniface and Tella will be closely watched as they continue to integrate into the team under Xabi Alonso’s management.
