Boniface strikes late as Bayer Leverkusen defeat Newcastle in friendly

Bayer Leverkusen kicked off their pre-season campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over English Premier League side Newcastle United. The friendly match, held at St. James' Park, provided a promising glimpse of Leverkusen's form just a week before the official Bundesliga season begins.

Leverkusen got off to a flying start, with midfielder Ibrahim Maza finding the net in the opening minute with a precise left-footed shot. However, Newcastle, managed by Matthias Jaissle and featuring German players Nick Woltemade and Malick Thiaw, managed to pull level just before the break. German defender Thiaw scored the equalizer for Newcastle in the 44th minute.

The decisive moment came late in the game when Victor Boniface, who spent last season on loan at Werder Bremen and battled injuries, scored the winning goal for the Bundesliga club in the 82nd minute. His late strike secured the victory for Leverkusen, managed by Carlos Martínez.

This win serves as a positive morale boost for Bayer Leverkusen as they prepare for their upcoming DFB-Pokal first-round match against third-division side Wehen Wiesbaden.