Bursaspor boss backs Iheanacho despite end of 12-match scoring run

Bursaspor manager Mustafa Er has defended Kelechi Iheanacho after the striker failed to score for the first time this season in the club’s 3-0 Trendyol 1. Lig victory over Bandırmaspor.

Iheanacho had scored in 12 successive matches for club and country before Saturday’s 13th-week meeting with Tosin Kehinde’s Bandırmaspor.

The result ended a remarkable run which had seen the Nigeria international find the net in every game he had played this season, either for Bursaspor or the Super Eagles.

Er, however, said Iheanacho’s contribution should not be measured solely by the number of goals he scores.

“He has made a tremendous contribution so far. He didn’t score today, that’s okay. For us, the score is more important than who scores,” Er was quoted as saying by Vatan.

The 2013 Fifa U17 World Cup Golden Ball winner began the sequence by scoring against Muglaspor on October 15.

He then reached 10 consecutive matches with a goal before extending the run to 11 by scoring against Pendikspor. Iheanacho made it 12 in the following fixture, while also scoring during Bursaspor’s victory over Ankara Keciorengucu.

Bandırmaspor were the first opponents this season to keep the striker off the scoresheet at either club or international level.

Iheanacho had also been among the goalscorers for Nigeria on October 6, when the Super Eagles shared an entertaining 3-3 draw with Russia at the Sovcombank Arena.