It is heartwarming how Kelechi Iheanacho has turned the clock regarding his career in the Nigerian national team.
Iheanacho is one of the players who have faced criticism over what they bring to the Super Eagles.
He belongs to the category of those who have one good game and four unimpressive matches in a row in the team.
The 27-year-old’s past performances for the senior national team were a reflection of his struggles at Leicester City, particularly in the harrowing years under Brendan Rodgers.
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That was when he reached the landmark of being the most subbed Nigerian in the history of the Premier League.
His sumptuous finish against Egypt at the 2021 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) could be the only memorable moment Nigerian football fans hold of his time in the team since he found his breakthrough in 2015.
He was overlooked by Head Coach, Jose Peseiro, for Nigeria’s first 2023 AFCON qualifier against Sierra Leone in Abuja and the 10-0 bashing of Sao Tome and Principe in Morocco.
But he worked his way back into the team, following his resurgence for Leicester towards the end of last season, in their bid to win the relegation dogfight in the Premier League which they sadly lost.
Though not guaranteed a place in the Starting 11, he has been in the squad since then and rarely gets injured.
With Nigeria’s qualification for the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast about to be deferred, in the clash against the Leone stars in Liberia, he popped up out of nowhere to win the game when he reached the end of Zaidu Sanusi’s good work to tap into an empty net to give the Eagles a 3-2 win and seal the spot for the biggest football fiesta on the continent.
Against Sao Tome, Peseiro trusted him to roam the attack and though he did not get on the score sheet, he was very effective in the 6-0 win and was rewarded with an assist.
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In last month’s international friendly against Saudi Arabia in Portugal, the former Manchester City attacker scored what was thought would be the winner, until the Eagles were denied in the tenth minute of added time.
In Nigeria’s lacklustre 1-1 draw with Lesotho at the Godswill International Stadium in Uyo on November 16, 2023, in which he captained the team, Iheanacho assisted Oluwasemilogo Ajayi for the equaliser.
Also, he came from the bench to bring the Eagles level in the uninspiring 1-1 draw with the Warriors of Zimbabwe in Rwanda on November 19.
By Femi Ashaolu
2 Comments
That is a great article from you. Stats don’t lie and I commend you for this write up. Wow!
If you continue like this, we will be better informed and educated about the Eagles, the way the CV of Peseiro showed he was CRAP.
Peserio’s crap CV is what most of your local coaches can’t boast of at the moment….LMAOoo.
That is why once NFF does not offer them jobs, the remain jobless for the period in question…LMAOoo