Nigeria Football Federation Target Makes First Team Debut For Chelsea

Published: July 11, 2019

Promising Nigerian striker Ike Ugbo was handed a first-team debut by manager Frank Lampard as Chelsea were held to a 1-1 draw by Bohemians in a pre-season friendly staged in Dublin on Wednesday evening.

The 20-year-old played his first game for the senior side, albeit in a friendly, when he took to the Dalymount Park pitch for the start of the second half, one of the eleven changes made by Lampard.

Ugbo could have made his Blues first team debut before now but was a non-playing substitute in a post-season friendly against New England Revolution on May 16, 2019.

Michy Batshuayi's 8th minute strike was cancelled out by trialist Eric Molloy a minute from time.

Ugbo missed a glorious opportunity to score the winner on his Chelsea debut when his effort over the onrushing keeper stopped just short of the goal-line in the closing minutes.

Against the Irish opponents, the striker played with the number 20 kit which was worn by Callum Hudson-Odoi last season.

He made his U23 debut for Chelsea as a schoolboy on September 14 2014, six months after he made his maiden appearance for the U18s.

Ugbo visited the Super Eagles Crowne Plaza Hotel Ealing hotel ahead of a friendly with Serbia in March 2018 to hold talks with the Nigerian Federation over committing his future to the three-time African champions.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : chelseafc.com