Nigerian forward Stanley Iheanacho made an immediate impact on his return to FC Midtjylland, scoring the decisive goal in a 1-0 preseason victory over Norwegian club Lillestrøm SK just four days after rejoining the Danish side.

The 21-year-old striker, who recently completed his move back to Midtjylland following a successful spell with Portuguese club CD Mafra, came off the bench in the second half and proved the difference in Saturday’s friendly.

Iheanacho struck in the 77th minute after capitalising on a goalkeeping error from Lillestrøm. Reacting quickest to a loose ball inside the box, the Nigerian calmly fired home from close range to hand the Danish Superliga outfit victory in their opening preseason fixture at Herning Fremad.

His instant contribution underlined the confidence FC Midtjylland have placed in the youngster after tying him down to a long-term contract that runs until December 31, 2030.

The striker returns to Denmark on the back of an impressive 2025/26 campaign with CD Mafra, where he scored 14 goals and provided one assist in 31 appearances across all competitions, establishing himself as one of the club’s standout performers.

The match-winning display is expected to boost Iheanacho’s chances of playing a prominent role for Midtjylland as they prepare for the 2026/27 season.

Elsewhere in the fixture, goalkeeper Ovie Ejeheri, who previously trained with the Super Eagles during the Unity Cup, also featured for Midtjylland and delivered an assured performance. The shot-stopper produced several impressive saves in the first half to keep his side level before Iheanacho’s late winner secured the result.