Kelechi Iheanacho has now scored in nine successive league matches for Bursaspor, taking his tally to 12 goals and two assists in the TFF First League. His latest strike, a long-range equaliser against Mardin 1969 Spor on Sunday, was not enough to stop a 2-1 home defeat.
The 30-year-old arrived on a free transfer in the summer, having left Celtic, and the numbers since then are hard to argue with. Complete Sports reported that he has been involved in 14 of the club's 17 league goals this season, a share of 82.4 per cent. Only three came without him.
A goal, then a sting in the tail
Sunday's match at the Atatürk Sport Complex Matlı Stadium in Bursa began badly.
Tonio Teklić put Mardin ahead after 21 minutes, and Iheanacho had already gone close twice before he found the leveller, with a header that drifted just wide on 35 minutes and a shot that the visiting goalkeeper saved on 57 minutes, according to the Bursa daily Bursa Hakimiyet, which described his 81st-minute finish from outside the box as an excellent strike. Then came the sting. Four minutes into stoppage time, Zdravko Dimitrov struck on the counter to win it for the visitors.
It hurt.
Bursaspor stay second on 19 points, level with Iğdır FK and three behind leaders Kayserispor. The Green Crocodiles go to Muğlaspor on Thursday, 15 October, with kick-off at 20:00 local time at the Muğla Atatürk Stadium.
Head coach Mustafa Er has made no secret of why the club chased the Nigerian. “We transferred Iheanacho so that he would score goals,” Er said, as quoted by Complete Sports, before adding: “Iheanacho continues to score. I hope he scores this week too.”
What it means for the Super Eagles
The streak is ten matches long if Nigeria duty is counted.
Iheanacho played in Eric Chelle's friendly against Russia in Nizhny Novgorod on 6 October. He scored after ten minutes, from an Abdullahi Bewene pass. Russia hit back through Lechi Sadulaev, Matvey Kislyak and Aleksei Miranchuk. Peter Edokpolor and a stoppage-time Akor Adams then rescued a 3-3 draw for the Super Eagles.
That form arrives at a delicate moment for the Eagles. Nigeria opened their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a 2-1 win over Madagascar in Uyo. Then came the 3-0 defeat in Bissau. Blueprint's analysis left them second in Group L on three points, three behind Guinea-Bissau. Because Tanzania co-host the 2027 finals with Kenya and Uganda and have already qualified automatically, only one more ticket is available from the group, which means the back-to-back meetings with the Taifa Stars in November carry real weight for Nigeria in the race with Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar.
Six points are on offer.
Whether Iheanacho starts those matches is a decision for Chelle, and the coaching staff have not said anything public about it. What can be said is that the forward heading into the November window is a man who has scored in every league match he has played for Bursaspor this season, and who also found the net the last time he pulled on the green and white shirt.
Before that, there is Muğla on Thursday, and a promotion race that is getting tighter by the week.
This article was most recently revised and updated 32 seconds ago
