Bursaspor manager Mustafa Er has thrown his support behind Kelechi Iheanacho after the Nigerian striker’s remarkable scoring streak came to an end in the club’s 3-0 victory over Bandırmaspor.
Iheanacho failed to find the back of the net for the first time this season for club or country on Saturday, bringing an end to an extraordinary run of scoring in 12 consecutive Turkish 1. Lig matches.
However, rather than express disappointment over the forward’s inability to extend his record, Er insisted that Iheanacho’s contribution to the team goes far beyond his goalscoring exploits.
“He has made a tremendous contribution so far. He did not score; that is okay. For us, the score is more important than who scores,” the Bursaspor manager said, according to Turkish publication Vatan.
The 30-year-old had established himself as one of the most prolific forwards in Turkish football since arriving at Bursaspor as a free agent from Scottish champions Celtic in the summer.
His impressive goalscoring form saw him become the first player in Turkish football history to score in 12 consecutive league appearances, surpassing a longstanding record jointly held by Galatasaray legends Metin Oktay and Saffet Sancaklı.
Iheanacho reached the historic milestone with his goal against Muğlaspor on October 15, which marked his 10th consecutive league appearance with a goal.
He subsequently maintained the run against Pendikspor on October 19 and Ankara Keçiörengücü on October 25, taking his remarkable sequence to 12 matches.
By the time the streak ended against Bandırmaspor, the former Leicester City forward had accumulated 16 goals and three assists, making him one of the standout performers in the Turkish second division this season.
Despite his failure to score, Bursaspor had little difficulty securing all three points against Bandırmaspor, with Halil Akbunar opening the scoring in the seventh minute before Lewis Baker added two more goals in the 12th and 23rd minutes.
The victory extended Bursaspor’s winning run to four consecutive league matches and ensured they maintained their position at the top of the table.
Iheanacho was closely monitored by the opposition defenders throughout the encounter, limiting his opportunities to extend his remarkable scoring record.
Nevertheless, Er’s comments suggest that the Nigerian remains an important part of his plans, with the manager more concerned about the team’s collective performance than individual scoring records.
The striker’s impressive club form has also strengthened his position in Nigeria’s national team picture.
He recently found the net for the Super Eagles in their 3-3 international friendly draw against Russia at the Sovcombank Arena on October 6.
Iheanacho remains on the radar of Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle ahead of Nigeria’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Tanzania next month.
Although his historic scoring streak has ended, the Nigerian forward will be hoping to return to the scoresheet in Bursaspor’s next fixture as the club continues its push for promotion.
For Er, however, the message is clear: Iheanacho’s importance to Bursaspor cannot be measured by goals alone.
