Bursaspor coach allays Iheanacho injury fears

Politics Spice Special Features Education Sex & Relationship Interview Columns Opinion Advertise with us Bursaspor coach allays Iheanacho injury fears Sports October 27, 2026 12:06 am File photo: Kelechi Iheanacho

Bursaspor head coach Mustafa Er has played down fears over Kelechi Iheanacho’s fitness, saying the Nigeria forward was substituted as a precaution after picking up a knock in Sunday’s 4-2 win over Keçiörengücü, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Iheanacho received treatment from the medical team before leaving the pitch, which worried supporters of the Turkish 1. Lig leaders. Er said the problem was minor.

“Kelechi has a little problem. We did not want to push too hard,” Er said in quotes by Turkish publication Bursahakimiyet.

“He wanted to continue but we did not want to risk it. We were already ahead 4-2, and we had the score.”

The 30-year-old had earlier scored his team’s third goal, five minutes after the break, to extend his run to 12 league games in a row with a goal. He received the ball on the edge of the box, dribbled into space and fired into the net to make it 3-2.

He now has 16 goals and three assists in 12 appearances this season.

Lewis Baker also scored for Bursaspor, and Brazilian midfielder Lincoln added the fourth in the 66th minute after providing the assists for the earlier goals.

Lincoln was sent off in the 84th minute for two bookings in quick succession, leaving Bursaspor with 10 men for the closing stages.

The win was Bursaspor’s third in a row in the league and their fourth in five games. It lifted them above Kayserispor to the top of the table on 28 points from 12 matches.

Keçiörengücü stay fifth on 20 points, and the defeat ended their 10-game unbeaten run.

Bursaspor host Bandırmaspor on Saturday, and Er will hope to have Iheanacho available for the game.

Peter, who has been covering sports for PUNCH for close to two years, focuses on combat sports reporting, special features and human angle stories

Stay informed and ahead of the curve! Follow The Punch Newspaper on WhatsApp for real-time updates, breaking news, and exclusive content. Don’t miss a headline – join now!

Stay in the know—fast. Get instant alerts, breaking headlines, and exclusive stories with the Punch News App. Download now and never miss a beat.