Ithappenedalmostayearago.OnSeptember1,2017,Nigeria鈥檚nationalteamwastryingtoqualifyforthe2018FIFAWorldCupinRussia.TheSuperEagles,astheteamisknown,wasfacingCameroon,recentlycrownedchampionofAfrica.Nigeria鈥檚4-0victorywassetinmotioninthe29thminutebyOdionIghalowithaspectaculargoal.Withagreatkick,IghalofoundawayaroundtheCameroonian.Thisgame-savingkickearnedhiminstantfameinhisnativeNigeria.Somemediasawhimasaworthysuccessortothecountry鈥檚otherfootballlegendssuchasRashidiYekini,NwankwoKanu,andevenDanielAmokachi.
ButinRussia,hefailedtoliveuptoexpectationsandspentonly130minutesonthefield.IghalostartedagainstCroatiaonJune16,butwasoverwhelmedbyanintractableCroatiandefense.Hewaseventuallyreplacedinthe75thminutebyKelechiIheanacho,whothenstartedthesecondmatchagainstIcelandonJune22.Asastalwartofhisteam,Iheanachowasinstrumentalinthewaytheteamwentaboutensuringvictory.WhenIghalocameoffthebenchinthe85thminute,thematchwasalreadywon.
InthegameagainstArgentina,Ighalocameonathalftime.Heperformedathisbestwithasuccessionofforwardmoves,passesandshots,butnogoals.Withlessthan10minutesontheclockhehadachancetotakehisteamtothenextstage,butmissedhisshot.Nigeriawasfinallydefeated(1-2)byArgentinaandlefttheWorldCupinthefirstround.
Anewmomentum
IghaloleftRussiatoresumetraininginChinawitha鈥渢hirstforrevengetofinishtheseasoninabetterpositioninmyclubandintheChineseSuperLeague(CSL).鈥滵ownin13thpositionwith11points,hisChineseclubChangchunYatai,basedinnortheastChina鈥檚JilinProvince,washead-to-headwithHenanJianyeandChongqingLifanintheCSLrankingasofJuly15.Insuchclosepositioning,Ighalocancountonhisfanbase,whoseaverageattendanceinthe25,000-seatChangchunEconomicandTechnologicalDevelopmentZoneStadiumis16,475fanspergame,tocheerthemontogreaterheights.
Lastseason,ChangchunYataiwentthrougharoughpatchbeforepickingupmomentumhalfway,thankstoitsprovidentialgoal-scorerIghalo.Aseriesof10victories,fivedrawsandthreedefeatsallowedChangchunYataitomovefromthebottomoftherankingtoanhonorableseventhplaceattheendoftheseason.TheNigerianforwardwasthearchitectofthissuccess.In15matches,hescored13goals,includingfourdoubles.
LookingforsuccessinChina
BeforetheCSLtookatwo-monthbreakintheseasonforfansinChinatoenjoytheWorldCup,Ighalohadalreadyscoredsevengoals(halfofhisteam鈥檚total)in11games.TheNigerianforwardwasthethirdtopAfricanscorerintheCSL(asofJuly15),nexttoC茅dricBakambu(eightgoals)andFrankAcheampong(ninegoals).
Decisiveonthefield,Ighaloisasfastasshootingforgoalasheisatchangingclubs.Throughouthiscareer,heplayedforatotalof22teamsandscoredfourgoalsaspartofhisnationalselection.In2010,afterabadseasoninCesanainItaly,whereheplayedonlythreegameswithoutscoringasinglegoal,hesignedwithGranadaCF.Thisprovedtobeagooddecision,andhewentontoscore16goalsin25gamesineightmonthsinSpain.
HethenreturnedtoItaly,thistimetoUdine,butagainhadadisappointingseason,withonlyonegoalscoredinfivegamesplayed.CrossingthechannelIghalojoinedWatfordintheEnglishPremierLeague,wherehehadtwosuperbseasons,scoring20goalsin35gamesinthefirst(201415)and15goalsin37gamesinhissecondseason.
DuetoadisagreementwithhiscoachWalterMazzarri,helosthispaceandscoredjusttwogoalsin18gamesinhisthirdseason.That鈥檚whenChinareachedouttohim.HewasquicktogetbackonhisfeetintheCSL,scoring15goalsin27gamesinhisfirstseason.Thatwasallittookforrumorstostartswirling,predictinghisnextmovetosomebigEnglishclubs(ArsenalorManchesterCity),Italy(MilanandNaples)orSpain(Villar茅al).
Asitturnedout,thiswasnothingbut鈥渇akenews,鈥漚ccordingtoIghaloandthemanagementteamofChangchunYatai,whoaremorethansatisfiedwiththeperformancesofthe29-year-oldNigerianplayer.Heiswellworththe$27.9millionpaidforhistransferandhisannualsalaryestimatedatnearly$10millionayear,notincludinghismultiplebonuses.Whenittookplacein2017,histransferwasamongthebiggesttransactionsintheworldoffootball.IghalocelebratesafterscoringinamatchagainstGuangzhouR&FinJuly2017LINHONG
IghaloinfullflightforNigerianNationalFootballTeaminRussiainJuneLUXIAOWEIToday,Ighaloisseenasanexperiencedplayer.Hiscareerbeganin2006asasemi-professionalinJuliusBergerFCofLagos(Nigeria).ThisallowedhimtojoinOslo鈥檚FKLyninNorway,asaprofessionalonAugust1,2008.HiscontractwithChangchunYatai,signedinJanuary2017,willrununtil2020.It鈥檚beenalongroad.
Accordingtohislateststatements,IghaloishappyinChinawhereheintendstoremainandwinasmuchsilverwareaspossible.Fornow,hewillhavetofighttohelphisteamtoimproveitsranking,withtheaimofhavingChangchunYatairepeatitsfeatof11yearsago,whentheclubwontheCSLchampionship.Thebestisyettocome.
**ReportingfromNigeria
**Commentsto
DATA
*BornonAugust16,1989inLagos,Nigeria
*Height:1.88meters
*Weight:70kg
*CurrentTeam:ChangchunYatai,ChineseSuperLeague
*Position:Forward