Kelechi Iheanacho’s remarkable goalscoring form at Turkish club Bursaspor has not earned him a place in Nigeria’s squad for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Tanzania. Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle overlooked the experienced forward despite his impressive performances this season, Bold sports reports.
The 30-year-old has established himself as one of the most productive Nigerian forwards in European football this campaign. However, his absence from Chelle’s 24-man selection has raised questions about the coach’s attacking priorities, particularly with Victor Osimhen unavailable for the November international window.
Iheanacho’s numbers present a strong selection argument
Iheanacho has scored 17 goals and registered three assists in 14 appearances for Bursaspor in the Turkish 1. Lig this season.
His latest contribution came against Antalyaspor on November 6, when he found the net in Bursaspor’s 1-1 draw. Before that, he scored against Keçiörengücü and Pendikspor, while his performance against Muğlaspor included two goals and an assist in a 3-0 victory.
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Those numbers highlight the consistency of his attacking contribution. Iheanacho has scored in several consecutive league fixtures, demonstrating his ability to influence matches through goalscoring rather than simply occupying an attacking position.
However, the level of competition remains an important consideration. The Turkish 1. Lig is the country’s second division, meaning his impressive numbers should also be viewed within the context of the competition.
Russia performance adds to the selection debate
Beyond his club performances, Iheanacho has also contributed to the Super Eagles recently. He scored Nigeria’s opening goal in their 3-3 international friendly draw against Russia on October 6, providing another example of his attacking contribution at international level.
That performance makes his omission particularly interesting. Although friendly matches do not carry the same competitive demands as AFCON qualifiers, scoring against Russia demonstrated that Iheanacho remained capable of making an impact in the national team’s attacking setup.
Osimhen’s absence creates another talking point
The decision also comes at a time when Nigeria will be without Victor Osimhen for the Tanzania double-header. The Galatasaray striker sustained a knee injury during the Champions League encounter against VfB Stuttgart and subsequently underwent surgery.
With Nigeria losing its leading attacking option, Iheanacho’s experience and current goalscoring record could have offered another option. Instead, Chelle selected Taiwo Awoniyi, Tolu Arokodare and Akor Adams among his available forward options.
Each forward brings different qualities to the squad. However, Iheanacho’s omission raises a legitimate question about how much weight the technical team places on current club performances when assessing attacking selections.
Chelle faces an important attacking test
Nigeria will host Tanzania at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on November 13 before travelling to Zanzibar for the return fixture on November 17. The two matches represent important opportunities for the Super Eagles to strengthen their position in Group L.
Nigeria currently sit second in the group and need positive results to improve their qualification prospects. With only the group winners guaranteed a place at the 2027 tournament, Chelle will need his selected forwards to deliver.
For Iheanacho, attention now returns to his club responsibilities at Bursaspor. Nevertheless, his 17 league goals and recent international contribution make his absence one of the notable talking points surrounding Nigeria’s latest squad selection.
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