Odion Ighalo Helps Shanghai Shenhua To Win On Debut

Published: February 24, 2019

2019 Africa Cup of Nations leading scorer Odion Ighalo has made his debut for Chinese Super League outfit Shanghai Shenhua.

The former Changchun Yatai man rejected advances from top European clubs before sealing a transfer to Shanghai Shenhua on February 14 for a fee of 15 million euros, with two young Chinese players moving in the opposite direction.

Ighalo was handed his debut on Saturday afternoon as Shanghai Shenhua thrashed Dalian Yifang 3-0 in their final warmup game ahead of the new season.

A minute after the interval, the new Shanghai Shenhua number nine missed a chance to increase the lead when his shot was blocked.

Shanghai Shenhua's season opener comes up Friday, March 1 against city rivals Shanghai SIPG, which will be Quique Sánchez Flores' first competitive game in the dugout since his appointment as coach in December 2018.

Ighalo was the second highest goalscorer with 21 goals in 28 appearances in his second full season in China.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel