Who is Kelechi Iheanacho’s best friend? And has he been watching Manchester City’s games at all?
The 19-year-old forward scored twice on Sunday and his teammates literally ignored his celebrations on both occasions. It is not the first time this has happened this season – if Iheanacho hasn’t noticed, hasn’t any of his friends?
With hosts Southampton leading by two goals on Sunday, Iheanacho cashed in on a mix-up in the opposition’s 18-yard box to glance a header past Fraser Foster in goal.
For that one goal, Southampton replied with two more to set City facing a quite humiliating defeat. But with 12 minutes remaining, Iheanacho received a pass on the edge of the box and curled in a beauty behind Forster.
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With scores 4-2, many other players would have grabbed the ball and dashed towards the centre circle for a quick restart of the game, but Iheanacho opted to celebrate, sinking into the ground and pointing his two hands into the air – perhaps thanking Jesus Christ, although he didn’t acknowledge Jesus Navas, his teammate who passed him the ball. Incidentally, while all nine other teammates ignored him, it was the only latter Jesus who advanced towards him to pull him up and offer him a hand shake.
Exactly the same scenario played out on April 23, when the left-footed forward scored twice in a 4-nil rout of Stoke City.
Making a rare start in the Premier League, the Super Eagle, who now averages a goal every 94 minutes, scored his first of the day in the 64th minute when, following good work by Zabaleta, he tapped easily into the net.
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He grabbed his brace 10 minutes later. Played in by Wilfried Bony, Iheanacho’s first touch took the ball beyond two Stoke defenders, and he went on to round Haugaard and slot into the net.
For both goals, Iheanacho celebrated without acknowledging his suppliers, Zabaleta and Bony, and his teammates ignored him as well.
Time has come for someone to tell Iheanacho, scorer of eight goals in his last five league appearances, to first acknowledge assist-rendering teammates whenever he puts the ball into the net, else even Jesus (Navas) himself may choose not to celebrate with him next time.
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4 comments
If those racist won’t celebrate with him let them hit their head on the goal post. Thanks jesus nevas
You’re over-reacting. There’s nothing racist in it. Kelechi needs to acknowledge his team-mates, or else he’ll soon be on his own. Remember Yekini during USA’94.
Even the other Africans on the team and black Brits aren’t celebrating with him. But you would think that Bony or Toure would help him realize that he has to acknowledge his teammates bc his “celebrations” aren’t what you would call the type that are geared towards drawing attention to himself. He’s simply pointing to the sky and giving thanks. His so-called “big brothers” clearly aren’t offering any guidance and trying to help him adjust to a team full of egos. They should be giving him advice.
When one scores a goal the first instinct is to celebrate and usually team mates rush towards you and celebrate with you then you now move to the one that assisted and you acknowledge him or her as yhe case may be. You don’t leave your celebration to go and acknowledge first b4 celebrating. It’s racism.