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Kelechi Iheanacho Reveals How He Felt Before Taking Match-winning Penalty Against South Africa

<p><img width="709" height="439" src="https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot_20240208-161715.jpg" class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot_20240208-161715.jpg.webp 709w, https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot_20240208-161715-300x186.jpg.webp 300w" sizes="(max-width: 709px) 100vw, 709px" /></p> <h2><a href="https://www.naijanews.com/2024/01/29/jose-peseiro-defends-himself-for-not-playing-kelechi-iheanacho-in-2023-afcon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Super Eagles forward, Kelechi Iheanacho</a> has described the moment he had to score the match-winning penalty against South Africa on Wednesday, February 7, as a <em>"make or break"</em> moment.</h2> <p>Kelechi Iheanacho, who was one of the last players to link up with the Super Eagles in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, ahead of the 2023 AFCON, hasn't started a game in the tournament so far.</p> <p>The Leicester City forward had not played any minute in the tournament before the South Africa vs Nigeria clash on Wednesday.</p> <p>During Wednesday's game, coach <a href="https://www.naijanews.com/2024/02/07/nigeria-vs-south-africa-kelechi-iheanachos-fight-with-jose-peseiro-continues/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jose Peseiro who is reportedly at loggerhead with the player</a> before the tournament, introduced him into the game in extra time.</p> <p>He couldn't help the Super Eagles win the game within the extra period as the match ended in a 1-1 draw and was decided by a penalty shootout.</p> <p>Fortunately for Kelechi Iheanacho, he was the last among the five players selected to take Super Eagles' spot-kicks and successfully converted it <a href="https://www.naijanews.com/2024/02/07/2023-afcon-super-eagles-of-nigeria-survive-south-africa-as-they-hit-final/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to seal a 4-2 shootout win.</a></p> <p>After the win, Iheanacho told reporters that he felt like the entire country was on his shoulder at the point of taking his spot-kick.</p> <p><em>“I felt at that moment, I was carrying the hope of the nation on my shoulder. The penalty was either make or break but I thank God who made it possible for us to go through to the final,”</em> Iheanacho said.</p> <p>It will be interesting to see whether coach Jose Peseiro will give Kelechi Iheanacho any minute in the 2023 AFCON final against Ivory Coast at 9 p.m. on Sunday, February 11.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.naijanews.com/2024/02/08/kelechi-iheanacho-reveals-how-he-felt-before-taking-match-winning-penalty-against-south-africa/">Kelechi Iheanacho Reveals How He Felt Before Taking Match-winning Penalty Against South Africa</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.naijanews.com">Naija News</a>.</p>