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Ronaldo’s Al Nassr on alert as Ighalo fires hat-trick to boost Al Wehda’s Saudi Pro League standing

The Nigerian star recently joined Al Wehda after his contracted expired with Al Hilal, and he has wasted no time to establish himself as a formidable striker in the Saudi Pro League

Nigerian forward, Odion Ighalo, showcased his goal-scoring prowess by netting a hattrick as Al Wehda secured a convincing victory over Damac FC at the King Abdul Aziz Stadium, Soccernet.ng reports.

The former Manchester United striker made a significant move to join the Red Giants on a free transfer after his contract with Al Hilal came to an end without an agreement for an extension.

Starting afresh with his new club in Mecca, the former Watford forward has wasted no time in making an impact, scoring four goals in just four appearances.

In the match against the Knight of the South, Ighalo once again underlined his status as a formidable striker and a menace to opposing defenses. He notched three splendid goals, securing all three points for his new team.

Ighalo opened the scoring in the 17th minute when a ball found its way to him, and he clinically fired a shot past Basit Abdullah from inside the box, putting Georgios Donis’s men in the lead.

Although Gambian forward Assan Ceesey leveled the score in the 36th minute, Ighalo swiftly restored Al Wehda’s lead with another well-placed shot from the penalty spot to the right corner of the goal in injury time of the first half.

In the second half, Ighalo once again found the back of the net, extending his team’s lead. Super Sub Craig Godwin further solidified Al Wehda’s position by adding a fourth goal.

Watch Ighalo’s goals here

A late consolation goal came from substitute Sultan Faqihi in the 83rd minute, but it was not enough to salvage a point for the visitors.

With this victory, Ighalo’s Al Wehda has accumulated nine points from six matches in the Saudi Pro League, closing in on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr, who have 10 points with one match in hand.

This post was last modified on September 15, 2023 12:55 am

Ayomide Oguntimehin

Ayomide Oguntimehin is a CAF-accredited sports journalist and an Editor at Soccernet.ng, with a proven track record in conducting interviews with Super Eagles stars such as William Troost-Ekong, Taiwo Awoniyi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Ademola Lookman, and many others. He has also made a significant impact in breaking transfer news stories. Grounded in video editing, video journalism, social media management, and content strategy, Ayomide brings a wealth of expertise to his work. With a Bachelor's degree in English Language from Adeyemi College of Education and a Master's Degree in School Library and Media Technology from the University of Ibadan, Ayomide is well-prepared to excel in the field.

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