Injured Nigeria forward Victor Boniface ruled out of Africa Cup. Guirassy worry for Guinea
Leverkusen's Victor Boniface, center, celebrates with Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba, left, after he scored his side's third goal during the UEFA Europa League Group H soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Qarabag at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, on Oct. 26, 2023. Boniface has reportedly been ruled out of the Africa Cup of Nations because of a muscular problem that has forced him to miss two warmup games so far. The Daily Post Nigeria reported Monday Jan. 8, 2024 that Boniface has a groin injury that was expected to keep him sidelined for six weeks. Credit: AP/Martin Meissner
LEVERKUSEN, Germany — Nigeria forward Victor Boniface has been ruled out of the Africa Cup of Nations with a thigh injury and has already returned to Germany.
His club Bayer Leverkusen said Tuesday that Boniface suffered “a muscle and tendon injury in his right adductor during the Nigerians’ training camp in Dubai”, and that the 23-year-old forward will need surgery.
Nigeria could call up Nice forward Terem Moffi in his place for the tournament in Ivory Coast that starts on Saturday.
Leverkusen expects he can return to its squad in April.
Boniface had been expected to make an impact at the tournament after starting the season with 16 goals in 21 games for Leverkusen, but he missed Nigeria’s 2-0 loss to Guinea in a warmup match in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Guinea also has injury concerns as in-form forward Serhou Guirassy left that game early with what appeared to be a thigh injury.
“I think he didn’t want to take a risk,” Guinea coach Kaba Diawara said. “We can’t yet tell how serious the injury is. But it doesn’t look too bad.”
The 27-year-old Guirassy has scored 19 goals in 16 games for Stuttgart this season.
Guinea is making its 14th appearance at the Africa Cup and is in Group C with defending champion Senegal, five-time winner Cameroon and Gambia.
Nigeria is in Group A with Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.
It plays Equatorial Guinea on Sunday.
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