Ighalo Evokes Memories as Al Hilal Play Zamalek at Lusail Super Cup

QATAR 2022 DRESS REHEARSAL

Duro Ikhazuagbe in Doha

Odion Ighalo will be full of emotions this evening when he steps into the main-bowl of the 80,000-capacity Lusail Stadium here in Qatar.

The magnificent Lusail facility is the biggest of the eight stadia the Qataris have put in place to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup scheduled to kick off on November 21.

This venue with the air-conditioning cooling system as all the other seven facilities, will kick off hosting of matches on November 22 with the Group C game between Argentina and Saudi Arabia. It will be the focus of global football audience when it plays host for the final game of this edition on December 18.

The stadium’s design is inspired by the interplay of light and shadow that characterises the fanar lantern. Its shape and golden façade echo the intricate decorative motifs on bowls, vessels and other art pieces found across the Arab and Islamic world during the rise of civilisation in the region.

Ighalo will be playing on this turf this evening not as a Nigerian donning the green and white jersey, but on duty for his Saudi Arabia club Al Hilal SFC. As champions of the Saudi Pro League, Al Hilal will take on Egyptian Premier League winners, Zamalek with the Lusail Super Cup at stake.

Ighalo, at 33, was pulled out of retirement to help give direction to Nigeria’s senior national team, the Super Eagles after torrents of poor results. He fancied the dream of going to the World Cup for the last time in Qatar before finally hanging his boots. But that was not to be. Ghana’s Black Stars killed that dream and hopes of millions of other Nigerians who look up to Eagles’ participation at the Mundial every four years to earn some money through merchandise and other sundry football related enterprises.

The Black Stars snatched the ticket with a very painful away goal rule after both home and away legs had deadlocked 1-1. The goalless result away in Cape Coast meant nothing to Nigerians while the 1-1 in the return leg in Abuja was celebrated late into the night in Accra and other major cities of Ghana when it happened.

It is against this backdrop that Ighalo’s outing at this ground this evening is bound to draw emotions of mixed feelings. As Al Hilal’s top scorer last season with 24 goals, the former Manchester United forward has started with two goals so far this term.

The mention of the name Zamalek used to strike fears in the minds of former Nigerian players. Not anymore. It was even in Egypt that    Ighalo emerged AFCON 2019 top scorer, leading Super Eagles to a third place finish in that edition.

It remains uncertain if Ighalo after playing Zamalek in this beautiful stadium this evening will remain contented, not entirely missing the ‘Qatar 2022 action’.

Ighalo made his debut for the Nigerian national team in March 2015 against Uganda. He represented Nigeria at the 2018 World Cup in Russia after which he decided to quit the Super Eagles due to threats he said his family received from a section of some disgruntled fans not happy with his performance at the Mundial. He however changed his mind and returned to lead Nigeria’s campaign for AFCON 2019 in Egypt as top scorer. He capped the tournament finishing in the competition’s IX as well as top scorer.

Ighalo joined Al Hilal from another Saudi club Al Shabab. Prior to moving to Al Shabab in February 2021, Ighalo made 17 league appearances in total at Shanghai Shenhua in the Chinese Super League, scoring 10 goals before he was loaned to Manchester United in the English Premier League.