Kelechi Iheanacho: Nigerian striker makes history with the first goal in English football awarded by VAR

Iheanacho's second goal for Leicester City on Tuesday, was history making.

Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho on Tuesday, January 16 made history as he scored the first goal to be awarded by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system in English football.

Iheanacho netted a brace for Leicester City in their 2-0 FA Cup third round replay win over Fleetwood.

 

He gave the Foxes the lead in the 43rd minute, taking on a pass from Islam Slimani before finishing past the goalkeeper.

In the 77th minute, he made history by scoring after receiving a pass from Riyad Mahrez and chipping the goalkeeper.

 

The goal was initially ruled offside by analyses by the VAR assistant Mike Jones, the decision was changed as replays showed that the striker was just onside and referee Jon Moss awarded a goal.

It is the first time in England that a goal has been awarded the help of the VAR system.

The VAR is still pretty much new in England, it was first used earlier in January in Brighton's FA Cup third round tie against Crystal Palace and the League Cup semi-final first leg between Chelsea and Arsenal.

Reactions to VAR goal

"I didn't know if I was onside or offside but I agree totally now that I was onside," Iheanacho said.

"I was concentrating on the goal, I didn't think if I was onside or offside but Riyad told me that I was onside.

"We just waited to see what the decision was."

 

His teammates Jamie Vardy added: "This man got the goals and has shown that VAR does work."

Leicester City manager Claude Puel  also said: "I think it’s perfect, of course! Of course it was a good thing because it was a good goal.

“It’s different because initially the referee refused the goal but after the video we saw it was a good goal. It’s a good thing.

"I said the other day that when a goal is scored and the referee consults on the decision, it could be frustrating for the player, but for this it was a different situation. It didn’t take long. It was a short time between the decisions, it was okay.”

Other Nigerian history makers

Nigerians making history in European football is rare but this is not the first time this is happening.

In England, Iheanacho was also the first ever player to be the fourth substitute for a team in the FA Cup.

An FA’s new rule of the 2016/2017 season allows managers to make one extra substitution if a game goes into extra-time.

With this extra substitution, a manager can now make four subs in a game, not the three that is known in football.

 

The new rule came into effect from the quarter-final stage of the 2016/2017 FA Cup season but no game entered extra-time.

Iheanacho became the first player when he came on for Manchester City as a fourth substitute in the FA Cup semi-final 2-1 lost to Arsenal in  April 2017.

Former Super Eagles forward Daniel Amokachi made history in 1992 by becoming the first player to score in the Champions League.

 

Amokachi’s winner for Club Brugge against CSKA Moscow in November 1992 was the first goal in the Champions League after it was renamed and re-formatted from the European Cup.

In Spain, Nigerian goalkeeper Francis Uzoho is the currently the youngest foreign goalkeeper to debut in the La Liga.

 

He achieved this feat after making his La Liga debut for Deportivo La Coruna in an away clash at Eibar in October 2017.