Rodgers Hails Iheanacho After Scoring in Celtic’s Europa League Draw

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has praised Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho for his strong performance in the club’s 1-1 draw against Red Star Belgrade in the UEFA Europa League on Wednesday night. The Scottish Premiership champions were forced to settle for a share of the points after a competitive encounter.

Iheanacho, who replaced Daizen Maeda after the interval, made an instant impact by putting the Hoops in front in the 55th minute. The 28-year-old striker looked sharp throughout his time on the pitch and consistently troubled the Serbian side’s defence.

Despite creating two more clear opportunities, Iheanacho was denied on both occasions by Red Star’s goalkeeper. Celtic’s advantage was short-lived, however, as Marko Arnautovic equalised for the hosts just 10 minutes later, ensuring the game ended level.

Rodgers was quick to highlight Iheanacho’s contribution, stressing his ability to hold up play and provide a central presence the team had lacked in the first half. With two goals and an assist in just three appearances, Iheanacho is quickly establishing himself as a key figure for Celtic this season.