Bursaspor coach Mustafa Er has praised Kelechi Iheanacho after the Nigerian striker made Turkish football history by scoring in 10 consecutive league matches.
Iheanacho opened the scoring in Bursaspor’s 3-0 victory over Muğlaspor on October 15, extending his remarkable run and setting a new record for consecutive league games with a goal in Turkish football.
The former Manchester City and Leicester City forward surpassed the previous benchmark of nine consecutive scoring matches, achieved by Galatasaray legend Metin Oktay during the 1962-63 season and later matched by former Turkey international Saffet Sancaklı with Kocaelispor in 1995-96.
Er praises Iheanacho’s achievement
Reacting to the milestone, Er acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining such a scoring run and expressed hope that the 29-year-old would continue finding the net.
“It’s a very difficult record to break. Our wish is for him to extend this streak even further,” Er was quoted as saying by Bursasporx.
“He is extremely happy, has great friendships, and is working incredibly hard.”
The coach also highlighted Iheanacho’s attitude and the positive environment within the squad, suggesting that his form has been supported by strong relationships with teammates and consistent work on the training ground.
Coach credits team and club
Despite celebrating the striker’s individual achievement, Er warned against overlooking the contributions of the wider team.
“To judge it solely through Iheanacho would be unfair to both the team and the club. The contributions of his teammates cannot be ignored,” he said.
Er also praised Bursaspor’s management for securing a player with Premier League experience and helping him settle into the team.
“I also congratulate our management for bringing a Premier League-quality player to the team and managing his psychology correctly.”
Iheanacho will have an opportunity to extend his record when Bursaspor face Pendikspor in the Turkish First League on Monday evening. Another goal would take his scoring streak to 11 consecutive league matches and further strengthen his place in the club’s history.