By Korede James
Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho ended a long spell without scoring on Saturday as he opened his goals account for Middlesbrough in their 2-1 win against Oxford United in the Championship.
The last time Iheanacho got on the score sheet was in December 5, 2024, when he netted for Sevilla in a 3-1 Copa del Rey victory against Spanish lower division side Olot.
Prior to Saturday’s contest, the Nigeria international had failed to score in seven Championship fixtures for Michael Carrick’s side since he joined them on loan from Sevilla in January.
The 28-year-old Nigeria international drew Boro level against Oxford three minutes into the second half, as he slammed the ball into the roof of the net off a cross from the left wing.
He was then replaced in the 75th minute as Brazilian defender Neto Borges netted what proved to be the winner for Boro on 80 minutes.
The win is a boost to Boro’s English Premier League promotion play-off ambitions as they are now seventh in the second-tier league table, level on points West Bromwich Albion in sixth.
The top two clubs in the Championship are automatically promoted to the Premier League, while the next four play off for an additional spot.
In another Championship encounter on Saturday, Super Eagles forward Emmanuel Dennis’ Blackburn Rovers lost 1-0 away to Portsmouth.
Dennis was not in action as he is sidelined with hamstring injury.
The defeat to Portsmouth was Blackburn’s fourth in a row and they winless in their last six fixtures.
