Nigerian forwards Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella played key roles as Bayer Leverkusen won the German Super Cup in a dramatic penalty shootout against Stuttgart.
Despite being down to 10 men, Leverkusen showed great determination. Patrik Schick came off the bench to score and make it 2-2, taking the game to a penalty shootout.
The Nigerians were in the spotlight, with 23-year-old Boniface scoring the first goal in the 11th minute after a pass from Edmond Tapsoba. This early goal put Leverkusen ahead, but Stuttgart’s Enzo Millot equalized just four minutes later, making it 1-1.
Things got tough for Leverkusen when Martin Terrier received a red card for a rough tackle, reducing the team to 10 men. Coach Xabi Alonso then made a surprising decision to substitute Boniface after just 41 minutes, bringing on Jonathan Tah instead.
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Despite the challenges, Leverkusen fought back. Patrik Schick scored a late goal to tie the game at 2-2 and force a penalty shootout. Leverkusen eventually won the shootout, securing the German Super Cup.
With this win, Leverkusen extended their unbeaten run at home to 44 matches and added the Super Cup to their previous Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal titles.
Coach Alonso said, “We had to make tough decisions, but the team showed great resilience. The early goal from Boniface was crucial, and Schick’s late strike was vital for our comeback.”
Boniface’s early substitution highlighted the tactical challenges, but Leverkusen’s determination and teamwork led them to victory.
