Nathan Tella made his third league appearance of the season for Bayer Leverkusen, while Victor Boniface watched all 90 minutes from the bench in Sinsheim.
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Super Eagles winger Nathan Tella played in Bayer Leverkusen’s 3-0 Bundesliga defeat away to Hoffenheim on Sunday, while Victor Boniface stayed on the bench for the full 90 minutes. Andrej Kramarić’s 76th minute penalty broke the deadlock, and two late goals turned a tight game into a rout.
It was Tella’s third league appearance of the season. The Nigerian international could not spark a turnaround for his side, who struggled to find a way through after a tense opening period.
The first half was cagey. Fisnik Asllani was denied by Mark Flekken for Hoffenheim, and Patrik Schick blazed over for Leverkusen.
The game came alive on 76 minutes when Edmond Tapsoba hauled down Asllani inside the box. Kramarić smashed the penalty straight down the middle. Fans following the Bundesliga can also check the Bet9ja welcome bonus before the next round.
Leverkusen pushed hard for an equaliser. Robert Andrich was thwarted by Oliver Baumann, and the hosts held firm.
Late Fireworks in Sinsheim
Hoffenheim delivered the knockout blow in the 89th minute. Alexander Prass combined with Kramarić and rocketed an 18 yard strike past Flekken.
The goal came with a twist. Prass was shown a second yellow card straight away for going overboard in his celebrations, which left Hoffenheim with ten men.
Ten men did not mean a retreat. Kramarić rattled the crossbar, and in the 96th minute Max Moerstedt pounced on the break to poke the ball into the net.
That sealed a rout that looked unlikely for long spells. Readers who back Bundesliga sides can also grab Nigeria’s top Bet9ja code before kick-off.
What It Means for Tella and Boniface
For Tella, featuring in a heavy defeat is not how he wanted to build his season. Still, minutes matter for a winger fighting for a place in the Leverkusen attack.
Boniface’s afternoon was harder to read. He watched the entire game from the bench, and Leverkusen’s attack still lacked the cutting edge to trouble Hoffenheim. Is that a sign of where he stands in the pecking order?
Supporters will want to know why a striker was left unused while his side chased the game. Questions over his role are unlikely to go away after a day like this.
Super Eagles supporters will keep a close eye on both men. Leverkusen host VfB Stuttgart on Saturday, October 31. Anyone planning a bet can read about the Bet9ja booking code first.
Hoffenheim will celebrate a dominant afternoon, and Leverkusen have plenty to fix. The Nigerian duo will want a better Saturday.
📌 Did You Know?
- Boniface joined Leverkusen in July 2023 from Union Saint-Gilloise on a five-year contract, for a reported fee of about €20 million.
- In January 2025, Boniface agreed a move to Saudi side Al-Nassr that fell through at the last minute, and he stayed at the club.
- Tella won a penalty against Hoffenheim in Leverkusen’s 3-1 home win on matchday 20 of the 2024/25 season.
- Kramarić had 137 Bundesliga goals by April 2026, level with the great Uwe Seeler.
- Austrian midfielder Prass scored his first Hoffenheim goal in his 50th appearance for the club, a 25 yard strike at Werder Bremen in January 2026.
- Hoffenheim were relegation battlers in 2024/25, and they have climbed well clear of that fight since.
- On the final day of 2023/24, Kramarić hit a second-half hat-trick as Hoffenheim beat Bayern Munich 4-2, the same day Leverkusen finished as champions on 90 points.
