Celtic striker Kelechi Iheanacho endured a night of mixed emotions in Saturday’s goalless draw against Hibernian but still won praise from manager Brendan Rodgers for his overall display.
The Nigerian forward, making his first start of the season in the Scottish Premiership, came close to making the difference at Celtic Park.
VAR denies Iheanacho as frustration builds
His sharp movement and persistence kept the Hibernian defence on alert, yet his hunt for a decisive goal ended in frustration.
The breakthrough seemed to arrive in the 65th minute when Iheanacho swept home Marcelo Saracchi’s cross from the left flank, sparking jubilant celebrations.
Moments later, however, Celtic’s joy turned to disappointment as a VAR check ruled the effort out for an offside infringement.
Two minutes after the decision, Rodgers replaced the 28-year-old with Benjamin Nygren, ending what could have been a statement outing for the Super Eagles star.
Iheanacho had earlier rattled the woodwork and registered four shots, showing flashes of his attacking instinct.
Despite his efforts — and Celtic’s dominance in possession — the Scottish champions were unable to find a way through, leaving the match locked at 0-0.
Rodgers stands by Iheanacho ahead of Europa League test
Speaking after the match, Rodgers backed his new signing to rediscover his finishing touch.
“Kels will probably be disappointed he didn’t score maybe a couple of goals, but that’s a reference point to the team,” the Celtic manager said. “He was good, and that will be good for him moving forward.”
Iheanacho’s stats told the story of a player involved but unlucky: nine accurate passes out of ten, 19 total touches, and eight touches inside the opposition box — yet no goal to show for it.
Celtic, who will face Portuguese side Braga in the UEFA Europa League next week, will hope Iheanacho can quickly turn these near-misses into crucial goals.
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