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| Iheanacho celebrating a goal |
As far as Nigerian Football goes during the 2015-16 season, there have been two positive stand-out moments.
One of these happened at the weekend, as the Super Eagles, chastened following their dismal 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the departure of Vincent Enyeama, finally came good under Sunday Oliseh.
I agree with my colleague Solace Chukwu that while Nigeria’s performance against Cameroon didn’t match the heights of their showings against Cote d’Ivoire and, particularly, Mali at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, the 3-0 triumph acted as a major injection of pride and belief into the flagging side.
All of a sudden, there’s a wave of positivity washing over the Super Eagles, who have lost only once—and that to the Afcon 2015 bronze medallists—in their last six matches.
The other glorious moment of the season so far—and I discount Odion Ighalo’s consistent excellence for Watford—was 'The Instant Impact' Kelechi Iheanacho’s goal against Crystal Palace.
John Obi Mikel’s peripheral role at Chelsea these days means that it’s become hard to remember to know what it feels like to have a high-profile Nigerian star thriving at a major European side, but the wonderkid’s one-minute effort against Alan Pardew’s side certainly reminded fans of the pride that can be found when one of the nation’s stars makes global headlines.
Since then, both Iheanacho and Manchester City have been much quieter.
The youngster has gone on to feature for over 20 further minutes for the Citizens—in the defeat to West Ham United and the victory over Newcastle United—but has yet to make a second decisive contribution.
Following the Kelechi-inspired victory over Palace, the Sky Blues have endured mixed fortunes, with defeats to Juventus, the Hammers and—significantly—Tottenham Hotspur taking the gloss off their fine early form.
Ahead of the international break, the return of Sergio Aguero coincided with an upturn in City’s fortunes and one of the most outstanding results in the Premier League so far this season.
Aguero scored the winner as Borussia Monchengladbach were defeated in the Champions League, before devastating Newcastle United—and breaking a hatful of records—when he scored five in 20 minutes as City secured a 6-1 triumph.
Similarly, City took the decision not to register Iheanacho for the Champions League, leaving only Bony (and potentially Raheem Sterling) as the club’s only outstanding option for their upcoming fixtures in Europe. This potential oversight may see City rely on the Nigerian in the league as they look to protect Bony for their continental fixtures
However, beyond the Afcon 2015 winner, Iheanacho could also stand to benefit from Aguero’s absence.
The youngster may not be chosen to lead the line ahead of Bony, but as Pellegrini looks to keep the former Swansea City man fresh—mainly due to a lack of other options—Kelechi will surely find himself playing a much more significant role over the coming month.
Similarly, City took the decision not to register Iheanacho for the Champions League, leaving only Bony (and potentially Raheem Sterling) as the club’s only outstanding option for their upcoming fixtures in Europe. This potential oversight may see City rely on the Nigerian in the league as they look to protect Bony for their continental fixtures.
If nothing else, Aguero’s injury will provide the Nigerian with an opportunity to gain more valuable experience. However, there’s also every chance that Iheanacho—rated so highly among Nigerian supporters—can do more than just earn some more exposure, and actually demonstrate that, at 19, he deserves a much more prominent role in Pellegrini’s plans.
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