Even if more than nine years have passed, it is almost impossible for a fan of academic do not remember that infamous Cream Night 2013. To everyone’s surprise, the rival for the presentation of the ‘U’ that season was a team from the Nigerian Professional Football League: the modest Nasarawa United. However, the most curious thing is that, possibly, the most vivid memory of that match is not that of a merengue fan, but that of a pink one.
Beyond the numerous injuries and the poor football show of that University vs. Nasarawa, the ‘legacy’ of this meeting for Peruvian soccer would be the appearance of Godson Ihedioha. It was impossible to imagine it at the time, but whoever was the goalkeeper for the Nigerian team that night at the Monumental would be, years later, a striker for Sports Boys in the second division. What happened to Godson?
Godson Uzoma Ihedioha was born in the city of Umuaka, Nigeria, on September 17, 1988. According to DeChalaca, he went through local clubs FC Ebedei and Julius Berger FC/Bridge FC before joining Nasarawa United. His first appearance in our country was nothing less than against Universitario por la Noche Crema 2013, a match in which Godson served as the starting goalkeeper.
But Nasarawa did not cross the Atlantic to play a single match against the ‘U’ and made a small tour in Peru before returning to Nigeria. The green team also played a friendly against León de Huánuco at the Heraclio Tapia and then faced CNI FC. The curious thing was that Godson played as a striker against the student team and in the last duel against the Iquitos team he stood as a central defender.
Unlike his compatriots, Godson Ihedioha decided to stay in Peru to continue his career as a professional soccer player. He was registered by Alianza Cristiana for the 2013 Second Division, but never made his debut or made it onto the list. The team from the small district of Andoas did not finish the tournament and the Nigerian chose to try himself at Walter Ormeño, but he did not play any official minutes there either.
Godson’s moment of ‘fame’ finally came in 2014 when he was announced as a surprise addition to Sport Boys for that season. Those were even more complicated times than the current ones for the rosés and the Nigerian was practically the only foreigner on the squad. José Colindres, a Mexican midfielder, was also introduced, but he would only play 12 minutes throughout the year.
The summary of Godson’s first year in Boys was almost as peculiar as his own signing. In addition to mentioning that in Alianza Cristiana he was performing as a defender after having arrived as a goalkeeper in Peru, he stated that he came to Boys as reinforcement in attack. The other forwards of the club for that season were Manuel Olaya, Pedro García and Brian Belline, a soccer player from the Peruvian promotion.
However, despite his status as a foreigner, Godson played the fewest minutes. He only appeared in the team in the 0-3 victory against Walter Ormeño for date 5, when he entered for Belline at 24 ′. He also played the next match against Atlético Minero, but once Paul Cominges took over as coach, Godson only made the list twice more before disappearing from the radar.
When almost everyone had forgotten about him, the Nigerian had a triumphant reappearance on the last date of the tournament: on November 29 he started against Comerciantes Unidos and scored a brace in just three minutes for the rosés to defeat 2-0 the Cutervine Eagles. Incredible as it sounds, Godson outscored Belline and Garcia in a single game all year (one goal each).
Godson Ihedioha stayed at Sport Boys for the 2015 season and, despite not being the undisputed starter, he had much more continuity than in 2014: he scored four goals in 14 games (962 minutes played). On date 10, he had to go from the attack to the emergency goal due to the expulsion of Leonardo Rodríguez (RIP) and, on the following day, he started as goalkeeper in the 4-2 victory against Comerciantes Unidos.
After being absent for two seasons, the versatile Nigerian was seen as a new Cultural Santa Rosa player for the 2018 season. However, he no longer did so with the ‘9’ on his back, but with the ‘1’ and the ’12 ′. Godson was a backup for the experienced Roy Sucuitana. He played seven games, and the only goal he scored in Andahuaylas was against Aurich on matchday 20 after coming on with three minutes to go.
The 2018 season with Santa Rosa was Godson Ihedioha’s final year as a professional player. Despite this, he always remained linked to football in Peru. Apart from offering soccer classes to minors, he was part of the technical command of the Santa Rosa club itself and of Unión Huaral as a goalkeeper coach. At some point, he also went so far as to open his own sports school.
Currently 36 years old, Godson continues to make his life in our country and very closely to professional sports. Today he is the goalkeeper coach for Alianza Universidad, a team that was far from being promoted in Liga 2 2022. Despite not having been the best scorer or the most technical, there are many fans who still hold affection for the charismatic goalkeeper-defender. Nigerian forward.
Source-larepublica.pe