Kelechi Iheanacho, the prolific striker for both the Super Eagles and Celtic, extended his impressive streak by netting a goal in the UEFA Europa League encounter against Serbian giants FK Crvena Zvezda, according to Soccernet.ng.
The 28-year-old forward was introduced at halftime and made a decisive contribution just ten minutes later, slotting the ball past goalkeeper Matheus to level the score for Celtic.
By scoring at the Rajko Mitić Stadium, Iheanacho has now been directly involved in scoring in every match he has featured in since his transfer to the Scottish Premiership.
A clinical finish from Kelechi Iheanacho pic.twitter.com/LxeENIhyEj
– Stacey Devlin (@StaceyDevlinx) September 24, 2025
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Brendan Rodgers Applauds Iheanacho’s Influence
Following Iheanacho’s maiden Europa League goal for the former UEFA Champions League victors, ex-Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers commended the striker’s impactful performance off the bench and his crucial goal.
“We faced a challenging away fixture, but the squad showed great resilience. Their mindset, particularly after the break, was commendable,” Rodgers shared, as reported by BBC UK Sport.
“In the first half, our intensity was lacking; we lost possession too easily with careless passes and struggled to maintain rhythm.
“The second half saw a marked improvement, with Kelechi giving us a solid foundation. His goal was exceptional.
“I wanted the team to take more initiative, but overall, this was a promising start to our European campaign.
“We needed a focal point upfront to hold possession. In the first half, our approach in the attacking third was too loose.
“One of Kelechi’s key attributes is his ability to control the ball and drive the team forward, which gave us a stronger platform.
“When the opposition equalized and the crowd rallied behind them, many teams might have faltered, but our players remained composed and secured a valuable point.
“The crucial thing was avoiding defeat, and the squad’s mental toughness ensured we achieved that,” the 52-year-old concluded.
Post-match, Iheanacho expressed his joy at scoring for the second time in three outings.
“It was an incredible feeling to participate in my first European competition with Celtic and to score for the team,” the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup champion told Celtic’s official website.
“The atmosphere was fantastic. We managed to earn a point here, and I’m optimistic about collecting more in the upcoming matches,” the 28-year-old added.
The Hoops will next face Hibernian at home in the SPFL this Saturday, currently leading the Scottish league standings.
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