UEL VIDEO: Victor Boniface scores twice, Vitinha a hat-trick in Union SG, Braga’s 3-3 draw
The six-goal thriller saw the 21-year-old Nigerian striker score the first and third goals of the game for Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, bringing his tally in the Europa League to 3.
Nigeria’s Victor Boniface scored twice on Thursday night but was overshadowed by Vitinha’s first-half hat-trick as Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise secured a 3-3 UEFA Europa League draw against Braga.
The six-goal thriller saw Dante Vanzeir the only other goalscorer in the game as Saint-Gilloise secured a comeback to extend their unbeaten run in the Europa League to four matches.
Braga went into the game looking to avenge their 2-1 defeat against the Belgian club in the reverse fixture last week but sadly saw their positive start to the game reduced to nothingness by their hosts.
The first half
Braga struggled to break down a tough Saint-Gilloise defence for all their early possession but succeeded in the 15th minute when Vitinha benefitted off a counterattack to score the first of six goals at the Den Dreef.
Saint-Gilloise hit back in less than five minutes through Bart Nieuwkoop’s cross which found 21-year-old Nigerian striker Boniface.
Determined to get their revenge away in Belgium, Braga responded after the half-hour mark, Vitinha scoring his second of the night with a header off Sequeira’s free-kick.
He then completed a perfect first-half hat-trick when he controlled Ricardo Horta’s pass in the 41st minute and sent curling a left-footed strike into Saint-Gilloise’s net.
The second half
The Belgian club had hoped to prevent a defeat and, started it early as just four minutes into the second half, Vanzeir scored with a towering header to bring the scores to 3-2.
Saint-Gilloise then secured their leveller just two past the hour mark as Boniface struck his second of the night and third home goal of the Europa League campaign.
Simon Adingra went closest to a winner for the hosts but was denied, with the eventual result, meaning that Saint-Gilloise have lost just once in their last eight games in all competitions.
They sit at the top of Group D with 10 points, succeeded by Braga in second with seven points.
