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Iheanacho scores in 11th straight league game as Bursaspor close on top spot

The Super Eagles striker's 62nd-minute goal against Pendikspor on Monday extended his Turkish record run and left Bursaspor a point behind the leaders.

By John Christian Mmaduabuchi, Chief Editor

· Video · Bursa

VideoVideo: beIN SPORTS Türkiye on YouTube
Photo: Kızıldeniz / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), file photo
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The gist in 30 seconds

  • Kelechi Iheanacho scored for Bursaspor in a 2-0 win over Pendikspor on Monday, 19 October 2026, his 11th league match in a row with a goal.
  • His goal at Muğlaspor on 15 October broke the Turkish record of nine straight league games, held by Metin Oktay and Saffet Sancaklı.
  • Iheanacho has 15 goals in 11 games, and Bursaspor are second in the Trendyol 1. Lig, a point behind Kayserispor.

Kelechi Iheanacho has scored in 11 consecutive league matches for Bursaspor after his 62nd-minute goal sealed a 2-0 win over Pendikspor in Bursa on Monday, 19 October 2026, according to the club’s official match report and NTV Spor, which carried an Anadolu Agency report.

The run matters for Nigerian fans as well as Bursaspor’s. The Super Eagles have AFCON 2027 qualifiers to play in November after losing 3-0 to Guinea-Bissau earlier this month, and the striker is giving head coach Eric Chelle plenty to think about.

How did Monday’s game go?

Halil Akbunar gave Bursaspor the lead in the 10th minute and Iheanacho doubled it just after the hour, the club said. The win, in Week 11 of the Trendyol 1. Lig, Turkey’s second tier, took Bursaspor to 25 points.

That leaves them second, one point behind the leaders, Kayserispor, Sports247 reported. ThisDay also reported that the win lifted Bursaspor to second place.

What record has he broken?

Scoring in a 3-0 win at Muğlaspor on Thursday, 15 October, made it 10 league games in a row and broke the Turkish record of nine, shared by Metin Oktay of Galatasaray in 1962–63 and Saffet Sancaklı of Kocaelispor in 1995–96, ThisDay and AfricaSoccer reported. Monday’s goal stretched the record to 11.

He had already set a club record on 11 October, when he scored in a ninth straight league game to pass the eight-match run of the Brazilian striker Fernandão in 2014/15, as GistMatrix reported at the time.

Iheanacho now has 15 goals in 11 league matches, the most in the division, NTV Spor reported. That is more than a goal a game.

What has his coach said?

Bursaspor’s head coach, Mustafa Er, praised the striker after the Turkish record fell. “It’s a very difficult record to break. Our wish is for him to extend this streak even further,” Er said, according to AfricaSoccer.

“He is extremely happy, has great friendships, and is working incredibly hard,” he added.

What does it mean for the Super Eagles?

Iheanacho joined Bursaspor on a free transfer from Celtic in the summer, after helping the Scottish club win the league and cup double, Complete Sports and Premium Times reported. He returned to the Nigeria squad for this month’s friendly against Russia, his first call-up in more than a year, and scored in the 3-3 draw in Nizhny Novgorod, Premium Times and Complete Sports reported.

Their 3-0 defeat by Guinea-Bissau was their second match in AFCON 2027 qualifying, P.M. News and Legit.ng reported, and their next qualifiers are in November.

What happens next

  • Sunday, 25 October: Bursaspor are due to visit Ankara Keçiörengücü in Week 12, where Iheanacho can make it 12 in a row, according to the Turkish Football Federation’s fixture list as published by beIN Sports. The federation said dates could change.
  • November: Chelle’s squad for the AFCON qualifiers will show whether Iheanacho’s form has won him a regular place.

The video with this story is beIN SPORTS Türkiye’s official highlights of Monday’s match.

Is there a Nigerian abroad you think deserves more attention? Tell GistMatrix.

Sources

We checked this story against these sources. How we check

  1. Bursaspor: Bursaspor 2-0 Pendikspor, match report (20 Oct 2026)
  2. NTV Spor (Anadolu Agency): Kelechi Iheanacho, Bursaspor'da inanılmazı başardı (19 Oct 2026)
  3. Sports247: Iheanacho hits 11-game scoring landmark as Bursaspor close in on top spot (20 Oct 2026)
  4. ThisDay: Iheanacho can't stop scoring goals in Turkey (20 Oct 2026)
  5. AfricaSoccer: 'It's a very difficult record to break': Bursaspor coach hails Kelechi Iheanacho's historic scoring run (19 Oct 2026)
  6. beIN Sports Türkiye: Trendyol 1. Lig'de 9-15. haftaların programı açıklandı (16 Sep 2026)
  7. Premium Times: Iheanacho equals Bursaspor record as Super Eagles striker continues stunning run in Turkey (20 Sep 2026)
  8. Complete Sports: Iheanacho scores in 10th consecutive game as Bursaspor suffer home defeat (11 Oct 2026)
  9. P.M. News: NFF sets conditions for Super Eagles' return to Lagos (14 Oct 2026)
  10. Legit.ng: CAF analyses AFCON 2027 qualifier Group L standings after Guinea-Bissau beat Nigeria 3-0 (Oct 2026)
  11. GistMatrix: Iheanacho sets Bursaspor record with goal in ninth straight league game (12 Oct 2026)
  12. beIN SPORTS Türkiye (YouTube): Bursaspor - Pendikspor

How does this story make you feel?

John Christian Mmaduabuchi Chief Editor

John Christian Mmaduabuchi is a Nigerian filmmaker, creative director, and media professional with extensive experience in digital storytelling, visual journalism, and contemporary media. His Journalism interests span Nigerian and African current affairs, entertainment, culture, technology, lifestyle, media, and the people shaping public conversation. With a background in film direction and documentary production, he brings a strong visual and narrative perspective to editorial work, with particular attention to context, clarity, and compelling storytelling. John is also a creative entrepreneur focused on storytelling, entertainment, culture, and digital content. His professional experience across directing, cinematography, editing, media strategy, and emerging AI technologies gives him a broad understanding of how stories are created, distributed, and consumed in the digital age. At GistMatrix, John contributes to the development and presentation of timely, engaging, and relevant stories for a contemporary audience. His approach to editorial work is grounded in accuracy, context, responsible storytelling, and a commitment to covering stories that matter.

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