Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho has been named the best player of the opening eight rounds of the Turkish 1. Lig by beIN SPORTS following his impressive start to life at Bursaspor.
The 29-year-old was selected during the beIN 1. Lig programme by moderator Turgay Keskin and commentator Tunç Kayacı, who also picked Bursaspor as the best-performing team across the opening eight rounds.
Iheanacho has scored 11 goals and provided two assists in eight league appearances, finding the net in every match since joining Bursaspor as a free agent from Celtic during the summer.
His latest contribution came on September 19 when he scored twice in Bursaspor’s 2-1 comeback victory away to Batman Petrolspor.
Bursaspor initially fell behind to a 29th-minute goal from Matheus Doria, but Iheanacho equalised from the penalty spot in the 60th minute before completing the comeback with an 85th-minute winner.
The brace extended Iheanacho’s scoring streak to eight consecutive league matches and saw him equal a Bursaspor record previously set by Brazilian striker Fernandao during the 2014/15 season.
Bursaspor have recorded six wins, one draw and one defeat from their opening eight league matches.
The club had 19 points after the eighth round but was second on goal difference behind Kayserispor, rather than outright top of the table.
Iheanacho’s scoring form has also earned him a return to the Super Eagles squad.
Head coach Éric Chelle included the striker in Nigeria’s 24-man squad for the international friendly against Russia on October 6 at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.
Iheanacho previously played for Manchester City, Leicester City, Sevilla and Middlesbrough before moving to Celtic, where he helped the Scottish club win the league and Scottish Cup double last season.
His prolific start in Turkey has quickly established him as one of Bursaspor’s leading attacking figures as the club continues its campaign in the second tier.
