AFCON 2025
Kelechi Iheanacho is unarguably the most in-form Nigerian forward so far this season and the former Leicester City and Celtic forward is showing no sign of relentingin front of goal.
Iheanacho scored twice on Saturday to lift Bursaspor to a 2-1 comeback win away at Batman Petrolspor, extending his scoring run to eight consecutive Turkish 1 Lig matches. The Super Eagles forward struck the decisive goal in the 85th minute, and the victory sent the Green Crocodiles to the top of the second-tier table.
The brace took Iheanacho to 11 goals and two assists in eight league appearances since he joined the club as a free agent this summer. He has scored in every league game for Bursaspor, and the run has already surpassed his previous personal best of six straight matches, which he extended with a brace against Manisa FK on September 7.
The streak also puts him level with a record that has stood for more than a decade. Brazilian striker Fernandao scored in eight successive league matches for Bursaspor during the 2014/15 Süper Lig season, a run that began against Kasımpaşa in November 2014 and ended against Gençlerbirliği in January 2015. Iheanacho can claim the record outright if he scores in his next league appearance.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Iheanacho put the result in the context of the club’s supporters, who were absent from the stadium. “We are happy we won today. It was a dream victory for us, and most especially for the whole of Bursa watching today,” he said. “It was a tough game and a very strong game today, but we came out on top, so we are really happy to go back to Bursa with a win.”
Bursaspor now sit three points clear of Kayserispor, who have played one game fewer. The leaders host Mardin BB in their next league fixture on Sunday, October 11, when Iheanacho will have the chance to move ahead of Fernandao.
Iheanacho’s form has also earned him a return to international football. The former Middlesborough, Celtic and Leicester City striker has been named in Nigeria’s squad for next month’s friendly against Russia in Nizhny Novgorod, his first Super Eagles call-up in over a year, following his last appearance at the 2025 Unity Cup in London.
