Abdul Fatawu Issahaku says hearing the Leicester City supporters sing his name with such emotion fuels him to give something back after scoring the winner at AFC Bournemouth on Tuesday night.
The Ghanaian’s fourth goal for the Club was a magnificent hit in extra-time to seal a 1-0 win at Vitality Stadium and put City’s name in the hat for the quarter-finals of the Emirates FA Cup.
A hugely popular figure with the Blue Army, Fatawu, who’s on loan from Sporting Lisbon, will have been able to hear nearly 2,000 away fans singing his name both before and after his match-winning long-range effort on the South Coast.
Once he’d netted his winner, the young forward went racing over to the away end to celebrate with the fans.
“It’s always amazing being with the supporters,” the 19-year-old said. “We need to make them happy. I had nowhere [else] to go, I just needed to go to them because they were here for us. To celebrate with them, I feel so good and happy.
“The song always gives me more energy when I hear them singing it. It’s a great feeling. Sometimes it’s so emotional because I feel so happy about the song and the fans. That’s why we’re always ready to do our best to make them happy.”
On the goal itself, Leicester’s No.18 admits it’s been some time coming after taking aim from similar places of the pitch before this fixture. To see it fly into the top corner will live long in the memory, he says.
“I’m feeling so good about my goal,” Fatawu added. “It’s my first goal in the FA Cup as well. I’ve been waiting for this kind of goal. I’m so lucky that I got it today so I’m so happy and feeling great.
“I knew I was hitting the target, but I’ve been trying and trying! Fortunately, today, it went in and I’m so happy.”
Leicester headed to Bournemouth confident, Fatawu insists, despite losing their last two games in the Sky Bet Championship. The second-tier league leaders will now be looking to build on the momentum generated in the FA Cup.
“It’s not something new,” he explained. “I believe in the players we have and what the coach is telling us to do. I had a feeling that we were going to win. It was a good test. We are top of the league and we have more confidence to play. It was a great game.”
