Al Hilal striker Odion Ighalo is overjoyed after scoring four goals in his team’s stunning 7-0 thrashing of Qatari side Al-Duhail in the AFC Champions League (ACL) semifinals.
The former Nigerian forward was in excellent form against the Qatari outfit, and his four goals helped the Saudi Arabian side reach the ACL final.
“First of all I want to thank God for this game and for the four goals,” Ighalo, a devoted Christian told Omasports in Doha.
“We did very well because we stuck to the plan and that was to press them very high from the first minute and force them into mistakes. We did that from the get go and it brought us the first goal and soon after the second goal followed. We also knew that if we continue with the pressure the goals will keep coming and that was how the game was won.
Al-Hilal defeated Foolad of Iran 1-0 in the quarterfinals. Ighalo missed that game due to injury, but his return against Al-Duhail demonstrated his importance to the team while remaining modest.
“I’m important to the team just like every other player is as well. I wasn’t able to play the last game (against Foolad) but the team had other guys that stepped up. The team is highly talented and when you’re given the opportunity to play you’ve to give it your all because if you don’t, they’re other guys waiting to take your place.”
Ighalo was also quick to downplay Al Hilal’s advantage over Al-Duhail, which could be attributed to his team having a higher proportion of top-tier foreign players who have competed in Europe’s top leagues than Al-Duhail.
“We both played with three foreign players,” he explained.
“What gave us the edge was the fact that we have very good Saudi players in the team with most of them playing in the national side which you saw with their performances at the last World Cup and I think that was the difference.”
Happy to have been able to interview the 4-Goal hero @ighalojude of @Alhilal_EN right after his 7 star display against Qatari champions SC Duhail. See you in Japan Inshalla !! pic.twitter.com/3VG5uWpyts
— Oma Akatugba (@omaakatugba) February 27, 2023
Ighalo and his Saudi side Al Hilal will play Japanese team Urawa Reds in the final of the ACL to be played in April.
