TheCable

It began like rain in the dry season: a light shower; a drizzle that was bound to return as quickly as it appeared. But it intensified, dropping with a consistency that pricked attention. Then it began to pour: an endless deluge that nothing could stop. This is no thunderstorm. It is Kelechi Iheanacho‘s goal-scoring form. A cloudburst of goals and quality performances that have ceased to halt since it cracked open earlier this year.

He has bagged a career-high 12 English Premier League (PL) goals in just 15 starts for Leicester City this season, winning the EPL player of the month for April in the process.

Since March, nobody has matched his goal tally — 11 goals. And on Tuesday, in a buzzing Stamford Bridge, under the weight of eyeballs of Chelsea fans, who were still boiling with a vengeance after Saturday’s FA Cup loss, he demonstrated his cold-eyed brilliance in front of goal once again. With that, he etched his name in a pristine record as the first player to score at least an EPL goal every day of the week in a single season.

7 – Kelechi Iheanacho is the first player in Premier League history to score a goal on all seven days of the week within a single season in the competition. Heaven.

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— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 18, 2021

Here is a breakdown of how he achieved that:

Sunday, April 14

Leicester 5-0 Sheffield United

Here was the beginning of the resurgence — the time when his intermittent sparks finally kindled into a flame. Iheanacho bagged his first PL hat-trick. The partnership with Jamie Vardy began bearing the semblance of incoming positivity at this stage. The first goal came in the 39th minute as he stabbed the ball into the net from a curling cross by Vardy. The pairing also maintained their roles for Iheanacho’s second goal. A blurry counterattack sent Vardy down the left before he skidded a cross into the path of the Nigerian, who rifled it beyond the reach of Aaron Ramsdale and into the net. His third came when he rammed a shot into the net from distance.

Monday, April 26

Leicester City 2-1 Crystal Palace

A match-winner! Wilfred Zaha had given Palace an early lead, putting the Foxes on the back foot early into the game. A moment of brilliance from Timothy Castagne produced the equalizer and the winner seemed elusive. Then it arrived in style. From Leicester’s half, John Evans sent an audacious, floating pass seeking Iheanacho as he dashed into space. The striker expertly tamed the launcher and turned two defenders inside out before powering the ball into a tight angle of Vicente Guaita’s net.

Tuesday, May 19

Chelsea 2-1 Leicester City

It was a made-in-Nigeria goal! Wilfred Ndidi characteristically robbed the ball off Mateo Kovacic at the edge of Chelsea’s box and threaded a through pass to Iheanacho, who had space and time to do what he had been doing for a while now. And he did it emphatically. He sent the ball beyond the sprawling arms of Edouard Mendy into the bottom corner. It was a case of too little, too late for the Foxes as the Pride Of London ran away the winner.

History maker 👏

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Kelechi Iheanacho has become the first player in Premier League history to score a goal in all seven days of the week in the same season 🇳🇬#PL | #CHELEI pic.twitter.com/weTXIa6DOR

— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) May 18, 2021

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Wednesday, March 3

Burnley 1-1 Leicester City

Another wonderful goal! Ndidi funneled Iheanacho a lobbing pass and he finished with a sumptuous left-footed volley that left Nick Pope gasping for air.

Thursday, April 22

Leicester 3-0 West Brom

It was a 16-minute floodgate of goals against West Brom. Goals from Vardy and Evans came in the 23rd and 26th minute respectively, while the former then turned provider for Iheanacho in the 39th minute. After a blitz in through the byline, Vardy fizzed the ball into the legs of the Nigerian, who readjusted deftly before slotting the ball into the top corner.

Friday, May 7

Leicester 2-4 Newcastle United

A consolation goal following a disappointing performance that threw the club’s top-four hopes in peril. Regardless, the goal was a masterclass. He took the ball at the edge of the Newcastle box, surrounded by defenders, Iheanacho feinted and dazzled to create a space for himself and sent the ball flying past a stunned Martin Dúbravka into the top corner.

Saturday, March 6

Brighton 1-2 Leicester City

A defense-splitting pass from Youri Tielemans set Iheanacho up with only an on-rushing Robert Sánchez to beat. He scooped the ball delicately above the goalkeeper to drag Leicester level in the game before Daniel Amartey won the game in the 87th minute.