Russia vs Nigeria: What Boniface said to Arokodare after first Super Eagles goal

Bayer Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface has taken to social media to celebrate his Super Eagles teammate Tolu Arokodare after scoring his first international goal for Nigeria in the 1-1 draw against Russia on Friday, Soccernet.ng reports.

Arokodare was introduced in the second half to replace Boniface and made an instant impact just ten minutes later.

He capitalised on a poor pass from the Russian goalkeeper, calmly slotting home the equaliser to earn Nigeria a share of the spoils at the Luzhniki Stadium.

Watch Tolu Arokodare’s goal here:

71 MIN

GOAL

Tolu Arokodare

1-1

#Football411 #RUSNGA

pic.twitter.com/fCRDxCkuOm

— Football 411 (@football__411) June 6, 2025

Following the game, Boniface shared a brief message on his Instagram story, writing: “Congrats my guy” in reference to Arokodare’s debut goal.

The Bayer Leverkusen forward, who has come under criticism for his performances with the national team compared to his club form, still showed support for his striking colleague, despite being the player substituted before the goal.

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Arokodare’s goal was his first in Super Eagles colours, which made it a special night for the former Cologne forward and further firmed his place as a growing option in Nigeria’s attacking lineup.

Boniface’s message comes amid speculation about his future with the national team after he posted – and later deleted – a cryptic Instagram story that hinted at stepping away from international football.

However, his congratulatory post to Arokodare shows his joy for his teammate despite being unlucky with the Nigerian national team thus far.

The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Champions will now shift focus to preparing for their upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers later in the year.