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George Ilenikhena scores three in two games as Al Ittihad form impresses Nigeria coach Eric Chelle

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George Ilenikhena scores three in two games as Al Ittihad form impresses Nigeria coach Eric Chelle

George Ilenikhena scored the only goal as Al Ittihad beat Al Qadsiah 1-0, opening his account in the Saudi Arabia top division and taking his tally to three goals in two matches.

The 19-year-old Nigeria striker had previously scored twice in Al Ittihad’s 3-0 victory over Najma in the King of Cup Champions. His latest effort secured another win and underlined his immediate impact since joining the Saudi club.

Ilenikhena, who moved to Al Ittihad from Ligue 1 side Monaco in January, was given his first start after impressing during pre-season. He responded by scoring a quick-fire brace against Najma, before following that performance with the decisive goal against Al Qadsiah.

His latest strike was similar to the goals he scored in the previous match: a powerful left-footed finish that is gradually becoming his trademark. The forward’s form will be particularly encouraging for Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle, who played a key role in persuading him to represent the Super Eagles.

Ilenikhena grew up in France and had the option of waiting to pursue an international career with the country. However, Chelle successfully convinced him to switch his international allegiance to Nigeria.

The striker’s strong start has also attracted interest from elsewhere in Europe. Sevilla are heavily interested in signing him, although the Spanish club have already seen two bids rejected.

As a result, there remains uncertainty over whether Ilenikhena will stay with Al Ittihad beyond the ongoing summer transfer window. For now, his three goals in two games have given the Saudi Arabia side a player in confident form and provided Chelle with further encouragement after securing the forward’s commitment to Nigeria.

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Samuel Ahmadu
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams. In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
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