Ike Ugbo scored his first goal in almost a year on Wednesday evening – sparking hopes he can kick on and reignite his Sheffield Wednesday career.
The Canadian international has struggled since joining the club for £2.5 million last summer, failing to score in his first season as a permanent Owls player. His loan goals the previous season fueled their historic survival effort in 2023/24, and given the bare bones of Wednesday’s roster, he should have more opportunities.
Ugbo scored Wednesday’s second in a thrilling 3-3 draw at Bolton Wanderers, advancing the Owls to the Carabao Cup second round on penalties. The 26-year-old carried the captain’s armband in a very young team, and the nature of his finish showcased some of his best work in the opposition box.
Manager Henrik Pedersen was happy with both his goal and his entire performance in the encounter. Youngster Bailey Cadamarteri was chosen over Ugbo to lead the line in the league opener at Leicester City last weekend, and with recruitment difficult, the aim is that the pair can drive each other forward. “It is about the performance and how much intensity he put into the game today, it is the first time I have seen this for many months,” Pedersen told the crowd. “This is one factor, and increasing his effort increases his chances of scoring goals.
“When he scores, it makes everyone happy because we all know how hard he works every day to improve and come into these situations with more opportunities. He has the potential to score more goals, therefore we are pleased with his performance today. “My main goal is to restore Ugbo’s confidence and make him a genuinely good striker for us again. He is working very, very hard on this. I have a lot of hope, and I believe we can get back on track.”
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