Former Flying Eagles star Chukwuibukem Ikwuemesi celebrated his first goals for OH Leuven in style, netting a crucial brace to secure a 2-0 away victory against Sporting Charleroi.
The 23-year-old Nigerian’s two strikes in the 32nd and 45th minutes ended his goal drought and delivered Leuven's first win since late August, thrilling both fans and teammates alike.
Since joining Leuven on loan from Italian club Salernitana, Ikwuemesi had shown strong performances but struggled to find the net—until Saturday, when he turned that tide with his impressive double.
Ikwuemesi excited to score for OH Leuven
Reflecting on his breakthrough, an excited Ikwuemesi expressed his joy at seeing his efforts in training pay off.
“Collectively, we played a strong game, just as we practised in training,” Ikwuemesi said.
“Personally, it feels great to finally score again. I've worked hard for it.”
The Nigerian has featured in eleven games this season, with his goals against Charleroi marking his first of the campaign.
His contributions brought much-needed relief to OH Leuven, lifting them to 11th place in the 16-team Jupiler League table, where they now sit with 15 points from 12 games.
Leuven head coach Oscar Garcia was candid about the team’s performance, admitting it was far from their best, even though they managed to take all three points.
“We played one of our worst matches, but we still took the three points,” said Garcia.
“It’s been the opposite this season, so it feels good to finally win again.”
With this long-awaited victory and Ikwuemesi’s growing confidence, OH Leuven will aim to build momentum and climb further up the league standings as the season progresses.
