Grenada Promotion Delights Ighalo

Nigerian forward Odion Ighalo is ecstatic after helping his Spanish side Grenada into the Segunda Division with a strike in their 2-1 aggregate victory in the play-off.

The 20-year-old Nigerian youth international had been on loan at the Spanish team from Serie A side Udinese.

Ighalo scored one in the 2-0 first leg victory before Granada sealed an historic promotion place despite a 1-0 loss in the second leg.

Overall he scored 17 goals in 27 games which immensely contributed to Granada’s epic promotion after a tortuous 23-year wait.

“It was brilliant to get a goal in the play-off and even though I dropped two steps down I am so happy for what I have done here, coming here has helped me a lot.

“I couldn’t hold my joy as the people of Granada celebrated emotionally after a twenty-three year wait and that’s a long time.

“Being here has been highly rewarding for me and I must say that it is indeed a mission accomplished for me here.

Already Ighalo has attracted interest from top French, Spanish, Dutch and German clubs but Udinese want their man back.

“I have kept focused though, and my aim was always to get playing time which Granada afforded me so I could fight for my place at Udinese.

“This was very important for me, and I am happy that clubs are talking to my agent and Udinese.

“The underlying factor would be regular football in influenced his desire to play in the Spanish second division.

A morale-boosting performance after a forgettable FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Egypt was vital for the former Julius Berger and Lyn Oslo man ahead of next season.

Ighalo added: “I heard several comments after the World Cup and when I moved to Spain but in life you do not let the past influence your unforeseen future.

“I have grown as a man, going down where no one expected has also taught me a lot about life because the people of Granada celebrated promotion like they have won the Champions League itself.

“Whether I go back to Udinese or another top division side, I will take with me lessons from Egypt and Spain with the hope that I will be a better man.”

Ighalo captained the Nigeria Under-20 side that crashed to Germany in the second round of the 2009 Fifa World Cup in Egypt.

He was also part of the Nigeria squad for their 2008 Olympic qualifiers but failed to make the final 22-man list to the 2008 Beijing Olympics Football event where Dream Team IV won silver.