Super Eagles Star Kelechi Iheanacho Sends Reminder to Eric Chelle Ahead of Unity Cup, Video
- Super Eagles winger Kelechi Iheanacho has sent a strong message to Eric Chelle ahead of this month's Unity Cup
- The 29-year-old scored the winning goal for Celtic in their 3-2 win over Motherwell in the Scottish League on Wednesday, May 13
- The former Manchester City has scored five goals in the last seven matches, including a brace against St Mirren
- Nigerian sports journalist Joel Ajayi has explained what the Nigerian international would bring into Chelle's squad
Super Eagles star Kelechi Iheanacho has sent a strong message to head coach Eric Chelle ahead of the 2026 Unity Cup later this month.
Iheanacho scored the winning goal in Celtic’s dramatic victory over Motherwell at Fir Park Stadium in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday, May 13.
Source: Getty Images
Elliot Watt gave the home side an early lead in the 17th minute before Daizen Maeda equalised in the 41st minute with a composed finish into the bottom corner.
Celtic went ahead in the 58th minute through Benjamin Nygren, who fired into the roof of the net from 20 yards.
Five minutes from time, Watt struck the crossbar for Motherwell before Liam Gordon swept home a late equaliser.
The visitors were then awarded a penalty following a VAR review for handball, and Iheanacho stepped up to score the winning goal in the 99th minute, sparking wild celebrations among the away supporters, per Sofascore.
Celtic and Heart are now separated by just one point ahead of their clash at Celtic Park on Saturday, May 17, per Mirror.
The performance of Iheanacho will bring a selection problem for Eric Chelle as the Super Eagles prepare for the 2026 Unity Cup at The Valley Stadium in Charlton.
The tournament will feature Jamaica, India and Zimbabwe, aiming to retain their title won last year at the GTech Stadium in Brentford.
Kelechi is special - Ajayi
Nigerian sports journalist Joel Ajayi believes Kelechi Iheanacho is an exceptional player who always delivers in difficult moments.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, Ajayi said the Nigeria national football team need players capable of making a difference when matches become tense.
He also advised coach Eric Chelle to select players based on form rather than age. He said:
Source: Getty Images
“I must admit that Kelechi Iheanacho has justified the trust that Martin O'Neil has in his abilities at Celtic. Scoring five goals in seven matches is a huge achievement and cannot be ignored.
“What Eric Chelle needs in his squad is a player who can dictate the rhythm of a match when there is tension, and that was what Nigeria lacked against Morocco national football team at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
“I have also seen what the Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, Augustine Eguavoen, sees in the former Manchester City star.”
NFF responds to Chelle's demands
Legit.ng previously reported that the NFF responded to Eric Chelle's 19-point demand for a new contract through its general secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi.
The federation remains calm over the manager's future as they expressed confidence that he will fulfil the final year of his current contract.
Source: Legit.ng
