Ike Opara
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Ikenna Martin Opara[1] | ||
Date of birth | February 21, 1989 | ||
Place of birth | Durham, North Carolina, United States | ||
Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Sporting Kansas City | ||
Number | 3 | ||
Youth career | |||
2007–2009 | Wake Forest Demon Deacons | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2008–2009 | Cary Clarets | 13 | (0) |
2010–2012 | San Jose Earthquakes | 35 | (3) |
2013– | Sporting Kansas City | 52 | (6) |
International career‡ | |||
2009 | United States U20 | 7 | (0) |
2012 | United States U23 | 4 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of November 18, 2016 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of March 27, 2012 |
Ikenna Martin "Ike" Opara (/oʊˈpɑːrə/;born February 21, 1989) is an American soccer player who currently plays for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer.
Career
College and amateur
Opara played college soccer at Wake Forest University from 2007 to 2009 where he appeared in 65 games scoring nine goals and adding three assists. He was a member of Wake Forest's 2007 NCAA College Cup Championship team. He was named ACC Defensive Player of the year in 2008 and 2009.
During his college years Opara also played two seasons for Cary Clarets[2] in the USL Premier Development League.[3][4]
Professional
Opara was drafted in the first round (3rd overall) of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft by San Jose Earthquakes.[5]
He made his professional debut on March 27, 2010, in San Jose's opening game of the 2010 MLS season against Real Salt Lake,[6] and scored his first professional career goal - an away match winner - against Chicago Fire on April 10, 2010.[7]
Opara was traded to Sporting Kansas City from San Jose on December 12, 2012 for Kansas City's natural second round selection in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft.[8]
See also
References
- ^ "List of Players — 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
- ^ The club was known as the Cary RailHawks U23's in 2008
- ^ http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2008/roster/6188469.html
- ^ http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2009/roster/6188469.html
- ^ 2010 MLS SuperDraft
- ^ CBC News http://stats.cbc.ca/mls/boxscore.asp?gamecode=2010032711&season=2010-1.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ http://www.sjearthquakes.com/news/2010/04/rookie-opara-scores-first-mls-goal
- ^ http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/12/12/sporting-kansas-city-swap-draft-pick-defender-opara
External links
- MLS player profile
- Ike Opara – FIFA competition record (archived)
- 1989 births
- Living people
- American soccer players
- Cary Clarets players
- San Jose Earthquakes players
- Sporting Kansas City players
- Premier Development League players
- Major League Soccer players
- Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's soccer players
- Wake Forest University alumni
- San Jose Earthquakes draft picks
- American people of Nigerian descent
- United States men's under-20 international soccer players
- United States men's under-23 international soccer players
- Major League Soccer first round draft picks