Boniface beats Man United's Fernandes to Europa League's Player of the Week award

• After his excellent performance at the Alte Foersterei in Germany on Thursday, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise striker Victor Boniface has been named by UEFA as the Europa League Player of the Week.

Boniface was the standout player - scoring two brilliant goals - as Union Saint-Gilloise and Union Berlin played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16 fixture.

The 23-year-old's first goal came 28 minutes into the encounter when he found space outside the box and unleashed a powerful shot into the upper right corner of the net. The goal gave his team the early lead but was soon cancelled out by a stunning free kick from Union Berlin's Josip Juranovic.

The second half saw the Belgian side take the lead through Yorbe Vertessen, but their joy was short-lived as Robin Knoche equalized for the German team.

In the last 20 minutes of the match, Boniface scored his second goal of the game, putting his team ahead once again with a sweeping finish past goalkeeper Frederik Rennow. However, Union Berlin's Sven Michel came off the bench to score a late equalizer, ensuring the match ended in a 3-all draw.

Despite the result, Boniface's contribution was duly recognized as he was named the Europa League Player of the Week. The Nigerian forward beat out competition from Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes, Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba, and Juventus' Paulo Dybala to win the award.

Boniface's impressive form in the Europa League this season has been a key factor in Royale Union Saint-Gilloise's success. The former Bodo/Glimt star has now scored five goals in 7 appearances in the competition, making him the joint-top scorer alongside Manchester United's Marcus Rashford.

Royale Union Saint-Gilloise will be hoping that their star man can continue his impressive form as they look to progress further in the Europa League and continue their strong domestic campaign.