Ighalo, Mikel Clash In China As Tianjin Teda Host Changchun Yatai

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By Johnny Edward:

Odion Ighalo will be aiming to score his second goal in three games at Tianjin TEDA – the club of his Nigeria teammate and captain, John Mikel Obi, when both teams clash in Saturday’s Chinese Super League (CSL) at the Tianjin Olympic Sports Centre, Completesportsnigeria.com reports.

Ighalo was on target for Changchun Yatai in their 5-1 win over Tianjin Teda in the reverse fixture last season. And in their First Round clash this season, Changchun Yatai lost 1-0 at home to Tianjin Teda.

Nigeria international, Ighalo who has bagged 18 CSL goals in 24 games will also be eager to make it two wins in three games over Mikel’s Tianjin TEDA and also add to his tally this season.

Mikel on his part will be hoping to help Tianjin TEDA end their seven game winless streak in the CSL.

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Ighalo has been called up by Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr for next weekend’s 2019 Africa Cup Of Nations qualifier against Libya’s Mediterranean Knights.

He is currently the second top scorer in the Chinese Super League behind Wu Lei who has scored 21 goals for Shanghai SIPG.

Mikel Obi is not in the 24-man Super Eagles squad that will face Libya home and away in this month’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double header against the Mediterranean Knights of Libya.

The captain was been excluded due to fitness issue since recovering from an injury-induced layoff, the same reason he had requested for exclusion before Gernot Rohr regrouped the Super Eagles to win 3-0 against Seychelles in Victoria.

Ighalo was on target in that encounter against Seychelles.

Changchun Yatai are currently 10th in the Chinese Super League with 29 points from 24 games while Tianjin TEDA are two points adrift in 12th position with 27 points from the same number of games.