Thursday, 28th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

Iheanacho, Ighalo Score, As City, Watford, Arsenal Record Win

By Editor
13 September 2015   |   5:26 am
NIGERIA’S Kelechi Iheanacho of Manchester City and Odion Ighalo, playing for Watford, each scored in yesterday’s Premiership league fixtures, recording victories for their teams in the process.
 Kelechi Iheanacho (right) celebrates after scoring the winning goal during the Premiership match against Crystal Palace…yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

Kelechi Iheanacho (right) celebrates after scoring the winning goal during the Premiership match against Crystal Palace…yesterday.<br />PHOTO: AFP

Everton’s Naismith’s Treble Worsen Chelsea’s Woes
NIGERIA’S Kelechi Iheanacho of Manchester City and Odion Ighalo, playing for Watford, each scored in yesterday’s Premiership league fixtures, recording victories for their teams in the process.

Iheanacho maintained Manchester City’s 100 per cent start to the season with a late winner over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park – and moved Manuel Pellegrini’s men 11 points clear of ailing Chelsea.

The Nigerian substitute had been on the field less than a minute when he fired home in the first minute of injury time after following up when Palace keeper Alex McCarthy spilled an initial effort from Samir Nasri.

Ighalo’s second-half strike earned 10-man Watford their first Premier League victory of the season at the expense of in-form Swansea.

The Nigeria forward pounced on a headed knockdown from Troy Deeney to fire in from eight yards and score the club’s first goal at home this campaign.

Watford were reduced to 10 men when Valon Behrami was sent off after appearing to stamp on Andre Ayew.

Arsenal took advantage of Palace’s late loss to move up to second in the table but the Gunners were afflicted by familiar problems in front of goal as they ground out a 2-0 win over Stoke at the Emirates Stadium.

The hosts missed a series of first-half chances with Stoke keeper Jack Butland pulling off a series of outstanding saves before he was finally nutmegged by Theo Walcott who grabbed the opener on the half-hour.

And the importance of Iheanacho’s strike was underlined by the continuing travails of Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea who had earlier slipped to their third defeat in five games courtesy of Steven Naismith’s hat-trick in a 3-1 win for Everton at Goodison Park.

Alan Pardew’s men will feel aggrieved not to leave with something after largely frustrating their opponents for much of the afternoon and coming close to grabbing the lead themselves through Jason Puncheon’s first-half header.

0 Comments