Leicester striker says he was 'gutted' over Super Eagles early elimination from AFCON 2021

Published: February 05, 2022

Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho has admitted that he was disappointed over the Super Eagles early elimination from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations which comes to a conclusion on Sunday with Egypt taking on Senegal.

Nigeria were installed as favorites to win the ongoing competition after finishing the group stage with a hundred percent record with wins against Egypt, Sudan and Guinea-Bissau, only to suffer a shock 1-0 loss to Tunisia in the round of sixteen.

Iheanacho was the match winner for Nigeria on his Africa Cup of Nations debut, rocketing the ball into the top corner with a sweetly-struck left-footed strike on the half-hour mark in a 1-0 victory vs Egypt.

The number 14 was involved in the build up to the goal scored by Taiwo Awoniyi against Sudan and set up Nigeria's opener against Guinea Bissau when his cross found Umar Sadiq.

Iheanacho is back at Leicester City and has shifted his focus to Sunday's FA Cup fourth round clash with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

"I'm happy to be back," Iheanacho told LCFC TV.

"Obviously, I'm gutted that [Nigeria] are out of [AFCON], but now I need to focus on the club duties. I'm happy to be back and into games straight away.

"It'll be a big one, a rivalry, so hopefully we'll give the fans a good game and we'll win the game. "

Iheanacho has made twenty career appearances in the FA Cup, scoring 14 goals including four last season when the Foxes won the competition.

Igho Kingsley

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