April 3, (THEWILL) – Victor Boniface came in as a substitute as Bayer Leverkusen took a huge step towards a potential domestic double by thrashing second-tier Fortuna Düsseldorf 4-0 in the DFB Pokal semi-final on Wednesday night.
Xabi Alonso’s high-flying Bundesliga leaders were utterly dominant against their local rivals. Jeremie Frimpong opened the scoring after just seven minutes, smashing in from close range. Amine Adli’s fantastic strike from the corner of the box doubled the advantage before the controversial third goal – Florian Wirtz netting after a poor Florian Kastenmeier pass.
The 20-year-old Wirtz then converted a 60th-minute penalty, awarded by VAR for handball, to make it 4-0. Leverkusen cruised through the second half, preserving energy for their crucial Bundesliga clash at Union Berlin on Saturday as they chase the Meisterschale.
Nigerian striker Boniface came on as a 66th-minute substitute for Patrik Schick with the result secured at 4-0. It was Boniface’s first appearance since sustaining an injury in January while on international duty preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations with the Super Eagles.
Leverkusen will return to the capital on May 25 to face Kaiserslautern in the DFB Pokal final, their first since 2020. As heavy favourites against the second-tier side, Leverkusen have a golden chance to claim their second German cup, 31 years after their sole previous triumph in 1993.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
