'We needed another player' - Troost-Ekong explains why Boniface came off the bench to join Osimhen in attack

William Troost-Ekong was on media duties on Thursday night, shortly after the Super Eagles registered a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Gernot Rohr's Benin in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan.

0ne of the questions he was asked had to do with the introduction of Victor Boniface to partner Victor Osimhen in attack, with the Super Eagles trailing by a goal, having conceded in the sixteenth minute. 

The Bayer Leverkusen star started the first three matches played by the Super Eagles in Afcon qualifying simply because Osimhen was lacking match fitness for the internationals in September and was not called up for the Libya game, owing to his well-documented issues at Napoli and fitness problems respectively. 

With Osimhen in outstanding form at Galatasaray, Nigeria's interim manager Augustine Eguavoen decided to name him in the starting lineup to face the Cheetahs, a decision that saw Boniface drop to the bench.

Troost-Ekong confirmed that Eguavoen had to tweak his formation in the second half and one of the changes saw Boniface replace Alex Iwobi in the 72nd minute as Nigeria desperately searched for an equalizer.

The Super Eagles defender highlighted that Boniface has the ability to open up defences, creating more space for Osimhen to operate.

"There were some changes, the coach saw it well at halftime, we changed formation slightly,” Troost-Ekong told reporters in Abidjan. 

"Later in the game, Benin started to go deeper and deeper, defending with maybe four, five, six players in the backline so we needed another player to create the space for Osimhen.

"And of course Boniface is the kind of player that comes with the ball, tries to draw out the defender, and it worked well."

The Nigeria captain continued: "We have so many different ways that we can play, we have so many different players that have different qualities. 

"Sometimes, trying to find the right piece to make it work and today I think in the end we did it and if we played a bit longer, maybe we could have scored another goal.

"They work well together, and there is great respect within the team. Both of them want to play and score, and everyone on the pitch is trying to complement each other".

Osimhen scored his 23rd goal for his country in his 38th appearance, heading home a perfect delivery from super-sub Moses Simon in the 81st minute. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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