Iheanacho: Senior man finally scores for Middlesbrough after Super Eagles snub

Kelechi Iheanacho finally broke his duck for Middlesbrough, scoring his first goal in a 2-1 win over Oxford United at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.

The Nigerian international's strike came in his eighth league appearance for Michael Carrick's side, and will undoubtedly bring a sense of relief after a barren spell.

This was also his first goal of 2025 amid a challenging past 12 months for the Super Eagles man, struggling to find his footing, first at Sevilla, and then on loan at Middlesbrough.

However, his equalizing goal against Oxford, assisted by Samuel Iling-Junior, could be the catalyst for a resurgence. Michal Helik had given Oxford the lead seven minutes before the break, but Iheanacho's strike three minutes after the restart drew Middlesbrough level.

Neto Borges sealed the win for the hosts 10 minutes from time, with Iling-Junior again providing the assist.

The victory propelled Middlesbrough to seventh position in the table with 57 points from 39 games, while Oxford sit in 19th position with 42 points from the same number of games.

Iheanacho's goal will undoubtedly boost his confidence after being left out of the recent Nigeria squad by manager Eric Chelle, and Middlesbrough fans will be hoping this is the start of something new.