Nigerian forward Victor Boniface put on an outstanding performance for Bodø/Glimt yesterday, netting three goals in space of 58 minutes to break the long-standing 20-year record set by former Super Eagles striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni, become the second Nigerian to score a hat-trick in a UEFA Champions League match.
The 21-year-old youngster scored thrice as his Norwegian club Bodø/Glimt thrashed Faroes outfit Klaksvik 3-0 in the first leg of the Champions League preliminaries on Wednesday night, making him the first player to score a hat-trick in the 2022/2023 season of the biggest football tournament in Europe.
With his incredible feat, Victor became the second-ever Nigerian player to score three goals in a Champions League match, breaking the 20-year-old record held by former Everton man, Yakubu Ayegbeni when he netted all three goals in Maccabi Haifa’s 3-0 win against Olympiacos in 2002. However, it was in the main tournament.
Victor also becomes the first player to net a Champions League hat-trick for a Norwegian in 15 years. The last player to achieve that was Abdou Razack Traoré for Rosenborg in August 2007.
