The Nigerian scored on his first start for the club as Manchester United thrashed Club Brugge 5-0 in the second leg of their last 32 Europa League clash.
Odion Ighalo scored United’s second of the night, tapping home from a Juan Mata cutback. But despite scoring his first goal in a Red Devils shirt, he revealed it was an emotional moment for him because his sister was not there to witness the glorious moment.
Ighalo’s sister, Mary Atole, passed away last December after she slumped while preparing her kids for school in Canada. The former Super Eagles star had spoken of how much he loved his sister, and he dedicated his first goal for United to her.
Man like @ighalojude! Scores his first goal for @ManUtd and dedicates it to his late sister. Mary Atole collapsed in her home in Canada on the morning of December 12 whilst getting her children ready for school. She was just 43 when she died. May her soul Rest In Peace. Amin. pic.twitter.com/eBpAZRgZec
— Babatunde Koiki (@BabatundeKoiki) February 27, 2020
But Ighalo would have loved to see his sister alive to witness the moment as she was a Man Utd fan while growing up.
He revealed they both dreamed of the moment he would get the chance to play for United, and now that he had achieved the dream, she was no more.
Ighalo celebrated his first goal by displaying a white shirt with the picture of his sister, and he insists he would continue to do that for every goal he scores for United.
”The T-shirt is for my late sister,“ Ighalo told the Manchester United website. “I lost my sister in December. She is very dear to me.
“She was a good United fan too. We hoped for this moment but, now I am at United, she is not here to see what is going on. It is emotional for me. I have promised myself that every goal I score, I will dedicate it to her. She is up there watching me.”
Ighalo could get the chance to dedicate another goal to his sister when United travel to Goodison Park on Sunday to take on Everton.
