Kelechi Iheanacho continued his remarkable start to life in Turkish football, scoring twice as Bursaspor thrashed İstanbulspor 4-0 in the Trendyol 1. Lig on Thursday. The result lifted the Nigerian’s tally to six goals and two assists in just five matches since his summer move.
Iheanacho broke the deadlock just before halftime, converting from close range to send Bursaspor into the break with a 1-0 lead. However, the Super Eagles forward was far from finished. He added his second of the night in the second half, taking his overall tally for the season to six goals in five appearances.
Halil Akbunar doubled Bursaspor’s advantage earlier in the second period before further goals rounded off a comprehensive victory. As a result, the home side moved to 12 points from five games, climbing to second place in the Trendyol 1. Lig standings. Meanwhile, İstanbulspor were left with nothing to show for their trip to Bursa, unable to find an answer to the hosts’ attacking threat all night.
Iheanacho’s numbers since arriving from Celtic have been eye-catching from the outset. He scored and assisted on his debut against Bodrum, then found the net in each of his following league outings, including a crucial penalty and assist in a comeback win over Kayserispor last weekend. Following that display, Thursday’s brace against İstanbulspor further underlined how seamlessly he has adapted to Turkish football’s second tier.
His consistency has quickly made him a fan favourite in Bursa, with supporters embracing the experienced forward for both his goal output and his willingness to link play for teammates. Consequently, Bursaspor’s promotion push appears to be built firmly around their Nigerian frontman.
Iheanacho’s electric form will not have gone unnoticed back home. The forward has not featured for the Super Eagles since 2025 and missed out on Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations squad last time out, however his six goal contributions in five games could force his way back into Eric Chelle’s plans. With Nigeria facing important 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in the coming weeks, a recall for the in-form striker would hardly be a surprise.
Furthermore, his revival adds further depth to an already crowded pool of Nigerian forwards playing across Turkish football, alongside the likes of Victor Osimhen and Paul Onuachu. That competition for places can only sharpen the collective standard as the Super Eagles look ahead to their qualifying campaign.
Bursaspor will look to build on their strong start as they continue their push for a return to the Süper Lig, with Iheanacho firmly established as the focal point of their attack. For the player himself, the challenge now is maintaining this scoring rate as the season progresses, while his club form should keep him firmly in the conversation for a Super Eagles recall ahead of next month’s qualifiers.
