Ahead new season: Chukwueze, Boniface on fire

Ahead new season: Chukwueze, Boniface on fire

... Onuachu unable to find the net

With European teams rounding up their pre-season friendlies, two Nigerian internationals, Samuel Chukwueze and Victor Boniface have shown readiness as they impressed for their respective teams yesterday while Paul Onuachu fired blank in his team's game.

Boniface, who was largely missed last season due to injuries was the hero in Bayern Leverkusen's 2-1 victory over English Premier League side, Newcastle United. The striker scored Leverkusen's match winner after coming in as substitute at St. James' Park.

Leverkusen drew the first blood when Ibrahim Maza stunned the home crowd by firing a brilliant 25-yard strike past goalkeeper Lukáš Horníček inside the opening minute.

Newcastle gradually grew into the contest, with Yoane Wissa and Anthony Elanga testing former Brentford teammate Mark Flekken. Just before the interval, the Magpies found a breakthrough when captain Malick Thiaw rose highest to power home a header from Anthony Elanga's deep corner kick, drawing the hosts level going into the half-time break.

However, substitute Boniface made an immediate impact. Moments after coming onto the pitch, the Nigerian striker zipped home an 82nd-minute winner to secure the win for the German visitors.

At the Old Trafford, Chukwueze was one of the scorers as AC Milan trumped Manchester United 4-2 in Ruben Amorim's final pre-season friendly.

United went ahead within two minutes when Harry Maguire headed home from a corner, but were pegged back when Samuel Chukwueze tapped into an empty net after sloppy defending from Michael Carrick’s side.

The Red Devils did go ahead just six minutes into the second half when Patrick Dorgu capitalised on a Milan error to get on the scoresheet. But Milan levelled the game when Alphadjo Cisse tapped home at the far post.

Milan swiftly punished Manchester United as goals from Goncalo Ramos and Ruben Loftus-Cheek secured their first win of Amorim’s tenure.

At the Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadium, the Super Lig highest scorer last season fired blank as Trabzonspor battled Kasimpasa to a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Trabzonspor.

The visitors, featuring Mohamed Salah, for the first time, partnering Paul Onuachu got the breakthrough before the interval when Noah Saviolo clinically fired home in the 43rd minute to give the visitors a crucial edge heading into the dressing room.

The hosts' persistence paid off shortly after the restart when Adrian Benedyczak converted a 56th-minute penalty kick to level the scoreline at 1-1.

On Friday night, Victor Osimhen scored a brace as Galatasaray drew 2-2 with Corum FK in the league opener.