Kelechi Iheanacho enjoyed a heroic Celtic debut as he stepped up to take a last-minute winning penalty against Kilmarnock.
Iheanacho’s arrival at Parkhead was met with much ridicule from rival fans but the Nigerian international answered his critics in emphatic style in Celtic’s win at Kilmarnock.
As the debate rages on about whether or not Celtic should have been awarded the penalty, Iheanacho didn’t make any mistake as he announced his arrival to the Scottish Premiership.
And to celebrate his goalscoring debut, Iheanacho took to Instagram where he was met with a barrage of messages from Celtic supporters and others.
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Kelechi Iheanacho congratulated in Instagram by Spurs’ James Maddison and Celtic hero Joe Hart
Iheanacho took to Instagram late last night as the Celtic striker posted a message to the fans.
The Nigerian said, “Hard fought 3 points today. Thanks to our fans for their unwavering support.”
The post went viral with almost 37,000 likes and almost 100 replies with Joe Hart and James Maddison amongst them.
- James Maddison: “Buzzin for you brother.”
- Joe Hart: “Not too tight, Kelechi.”
Sebastian Tounekti also replied with a love heart and handshake emoji with Celtic teammates Kieran Tierney and Viljami Sinisalo also liking the post.
What Kelechi Iheanacho told Celtic TV about penalty vs Kilmarnock
So what did Iheanacho think of his goalscoring Celtic debut in front of the Ruby Park stand packed with Hoops supporters.
The 28-year-old told Celtic TV, “I’m feeling really, really good. Feeling great. It’s the last kick of the game and I get to take it.
“So, I’m really happy and excited. I’m happy for the opportunity and I can see how the fans feel after that goal.
“So, it was a really important goal. So, I’m happy.
“It’s a great feeling [scoring a goal in the last minute]. At the same time, there’s a lot of pressure as well on that spot kick.
“So, I just uh took it with composure and we win the three points today which is very, very massive.
“It’s a great feeling [celebrating with supporters]. So, I didn’t expect them to be that happy and coming out of their seats and jumping on the pitch.
“So, it was a great feeling. I’m really, really happy and hopefully there’s many more to come.”
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