Victor Osimhen has defended his Super Eagles teammate Victor Boniface amid backlash from fans following Nigeria’s triumph over Benin Republic in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Super Eagles recorded a convincing 3-0 victory over the Cheetahs at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Saturday, September 7, to begin their 2025 AFCON qualifiers campaign on a strong note.

Atalanta forward and Ballon d’Or nominee Ademola Lookman scored a brace, with Victor Osimhen coming off the bench to apply the finishing touch, giving Austin Eguavoen’s side a three-goal advantage.

Despite the victory, Boniface came under criticism from fans and pundits alike for squandering clear-cut chances during the game. Osimhen, who came on in the second half, needed just six minutes to make an impact on the game.

Speaking on Boniface’s missed chances, the 25-year-old stated that the Bayer Leverkusen striker was just unlucky.

“We all have the same mindset, the same goal to win every game, to fight for each other,” Osimhen told Counter Attack Podcast as per Dailypost.

“Boniface had a very good game [against Benin], he was quite unlucky with some attempts but it’s normal. Strikers miss a lot of chances as well as score.

“He really did well and is an important player who can win games for us individually. It was really a good game from him and it was important for me to come in and also do my thing.”