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Ini-Abasi Umotong

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Ini-Abasi Umotong
Ini-Abasi Umotong playing for Portsmouth in 2015
Personal information
Full name Ini-Abasi Anefiok Umotong[1]
Date of birth (1994-05-15) 15 May 1994 (age 30)[1]
Place of birth Calabar, Nigeria
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 8+1⁄2 in)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Brighton & Hove Albion W.F.C.
Number 7
Youth career
Birmingham City Reserves[3]
2011–12[4] Aston Villa
2012–13 Wright State Raiders
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2016 Portsmouth 45 (54)
2016–2017 Oxford United 26 (17)
2017- Brighton & Hove Albion W.F.C. 15 (8)
International career‡
2015– Nigeria 1[5] (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 May 2018 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21 May 2018 (UTC)

Ini-Abasi Anefiok Umotong (born 15 May 1994) is a Nigerian international footballer who plays as a forward[6] for Brighton & Hove Albion W.F.C. of the FA WSL 2 and the Nigeria national team.

Early life

Born in Calabar, Nigeria, Umotong alongside her family moved to Birmingham, England when she was one year old. She is the youngest of six siblings born to Ben Anefiok and Grace Umotong. She began playing football at the age of five and it was in Primary school she got scouted by Birmingham City, Centre of Excellence in 2003.

International career

She earned her first call up to the Super Falcons in February, 2015 when coach Edwin Okon invited 36 players to camp to prepare for the 11th All-Africa Games qualifiers, 2016 Olympic Games qualifiers and the 7th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals.[7] The Economics and Actuarial Science undergraduate at the University of Southampton had to skip the first two weeks of the camp in Abuja due to her studies.[8]

On arrival after two weeks, promising Umotong got her first taste of action almost immediately as a late substitute in a warm-up 1-1 draw against a male academy team,[9] showing true dedication in her quest to make the team for Canada 2015. She followed it up with a goal when she came on for 20 minutes in another tune-up match against Nigeria Women Premier League side, Confluence Queens,[10] before becoming the first Portsmouth player to feature in a full international after making her 33-minute debut for Nigeria in the first leg of their All-Africa Games qualifier against Mali in Bamako.[5] She was eventually named in the 23-player list for the World Cup in Canada[11] but did not feature in any of Nigeria's three group matches as the African Champions failed to progress to the knockout stage.

Club career

Umotong's phenomenal first season (2014–15) at Portsmouth has opened the path for her international career, after her goal scoring exploits led the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division side to win their seventh successive Hampshire County Cup[12] and the league title, while narrowly missing out on promotion to the FA Women's Super League 2. With 29 goals in 25 league and cup matches, Umotong emerged top goal scorer for Pompey.

In February 2016, Umotong left Portsmouth for FA WSL 2 club Oxford United. Oxford manager Les Taylor was pleased with the signing: "Ini is a striker who possesses both power and pace."[13] She had scored 25 goals for Portsmouth during the first part of 2015–16.[14]

Honours

Club

Portsmouth

References

  1. ^ a b "List of Players - 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  2. ^ "Ini Umotong Biography". WSURaiders.com.
  3. ^ "Extra Time Knock Out For Reserves".
  4. ^ "Shekicks - Women's Football Interviews: Graham Abercrombie/ Aston Villa LFC Manager".
  5. ^ a b "Historic day for Pompey as Umotong makes international debut". Sent Her Forward.
  6. ^ Chibuogwu Nnadiegbulam. "WATCH OUT! The Falcons' Fast and Furious 8.... (Part 2) - SportON Nigeria". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ "Coach Edwin Okon Calls 36 to Camp". Nigeria Football Federation's (thenff) Official Website.
  8. ^ Chibuogwu Nnadiegbulam. "Excited Umotong relishes her call up to Super Falcons, celebrates with a brace - SportON Nigeria". Archived from the original on 2015-06-30. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ Chibuogwu Nnadiegbulam. "Umotong lands in Super Falcons camp, plays first test match - SportON Nigeria". Archived from the original on 2015-06-30. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ "World Cup hopeful Umotong scores on Nigerian bow". Sent Her Forward.
  11. ^ [ http://www.thenff.com/2015/05/canada-2015-world-cup-excites-umotong-dike/]
  12. ^ "Substitute Umotong's double helps Portsmouth to Hampshire Cup record - Sent Her Forward". Sent Her Forward.
  13. ^ "Ini Umotong: Oxford United Women sign Portsmouth Ladies striker". BBC Sport. 24 February 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  14. ^ "Oxford snap up Ini Umotong". She Kicks. 24 February 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  15. ^ "Pompey win the league after victory over West Ham".
  16. ^ Neil Weld. "Portsmouth Ladies 4 Southampton 1 in Hampshire Cup final".
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