Kelechi Iheanacho: 14 goals at Bursaspor, so is he Chelle’s answer?

Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho has 14 goals and three assists in ten appearances for Bursaspor, a scoring streak that has made Turkish football history and is reported to have earned him a place in Eric Chelle’s squad for the Tanzania qualifiers.

The former Manchester City and Leicester City forward, now 29, joined Bursaspor from Celtic earlier this season. According to Pulse Sports Nigeria, which cited Hürriyet’s figures, he has scored in 10 consecutive matches, more than the nine-game runs of Metin Oktay for Galatasaray in 1962-63 and Saffet Sancaklı for Kocaelispor in 1995-96.

He had already set a Bursaspor club record of nine straight matches, beating Fernandao’s run of eight in 2014-15. In the 3-0 win at Muğlaspor on Thursday 15 October he scored in the 73rd minute and assisted Hüseyin Maldar’s goal in the 83rd.

Back in the squad

Legit.ng reported on 16 October that Iheanacho is back in the Super Eagles squad, citing OwnGoal Nigeria. He scored the opener in Nigeria’s 3-3 friendly draw with Russia. Soccernet has covered the other new names in Chelle’s group, including Banik Ostrava defender Abdullahi Bewene.

Analysis: form is the argument, depth is the question

Fourteen goals in ten games is a strong argument for a place, and it comes at a time when Chelle’s striker options are a live topic. Victor Osimhen is back from a groin problem, according to Legit.ng, and Soccernet has asked whether George Ilenikhena is a real option behind him.

If Iheanacho’s form holds, the choice for Chelle is less about whether he deserves a place than about how the forwards fit together. The Tanzania qualifiers are the matches that make that choice matter, and Soccernet explained why Nigeria’s AFCON 2027 hopes run through them.

The next squad list will show how much weight Chelle gives to a streak Turkish football has not seen before.