Boniface leads Bayer Leverkusen to first Bundesliga title, ending Bayern’s 11-year reign

Nigeria’s Victor Boniface scored the first goal as Bayer Leverkusen defeated Werder Bremen 5-0 to clinch the German Bundesliga title on Sunday.

The surprise champions clinched the league crown with five matches to the end of the season.

Bayer Leverkusen’s league triumph is the first in the club’s history, and in a season they are still unbeaten in all competitions.

The title also comes in the first full season in the coaching career of Xabi Alonso, a legendary player at various clubs including Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Boniface, also in his first season with the club he joined in July 2023 for €20.5 million, got the party started when he converted a VAR-awarded penalty on 26 minutes.

He also provided the assist for Granit Xhaka to double the lead. Florian Wirtz’s hat-trick put the party in full swing at the BayArena.

The title ended Bayern Munich’s 11-year dominance of the German league.

Boniface is one of two Nigerians playing for Leverkusen, with Nathan Tella also excelling at various points in the season.

The duo became the third and fourth Nigerians to win the Bundesliga.

Despite an abductor injury sustained just before AFCON 2023 that saw him miss 11 league matches, 23-year-old Boniface contributed 11 goals and nine assists in 18 league matches on Leverkusen’s majestic run to the title.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria striker could end the season with a treble of trophies as Leverkusen are still in the hunt for the German Cup and Europa League title.