A Dream Come True For Odion Ighalo- First Start, First Goal

The ex-Nigeria international has got the world talking having made the Red Devils’ starting 11 against Club Brugge

Social media has been awash with reactions as Odion Ighalo has made his first Manchester United start.

The 30-year-old who joined the Red Devils on loan  from the Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua as a backup striker lead the line in Thursday’s Europa League fixture against Club Brugge.

Before Thursday, Ighalo hadn’t started a match since 1 December, but you certainly couldn’t tell. His impressive display was rewarded with a thoroughly deserved goal midway through the first half. The Nigerian anticipated Juan Mata’s pass across the box and poked it past Simon Mignolet, to the delight of the majority inside the Theatre of Dreams.

Reacting to his performance, “I think, as a fellow striker myself, I know important that first goal is and he’s been close a couple of times. You can see he sniffs goals, he wants to be there, where it sometimes hurts. That goal, he was sharp in his head and, as that ball is played over to Juan, he spins and was on the six-yard line when Juan puts it there. That’s a natural striker.” Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

It was a dream come true for Odion Ighalo, scoring at Old Trafford. 

He is now the first Nigerian to play for Manchester United and the first Nigerian to score for Manchester United.