John Orobulu
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 29 August 2000 | |||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Honiara, Solomon Islands | |||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward | |||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||
Current team | Henderson Eels | |||||||||||||
| Number | 7 | |||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Southern United | |||||||||||||
| 2024– | Henderson Eels | |||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Solomon Islands | 9 | (8) | |||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 October 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 June 2024 | ||||||||||||||
John Orobulu is a Solomon Islands footballer who currently plays for Telekom S-League club Henderson Eels and the Solomon Islands national team.
Club career
[edit]Orobulu took part in the 2022 Solomon Cup with Honiara Warriors FC. He went on to become top scorer in the competition.[1] His performance included a four-goal match against Makira-Ulawa which garnered him Man of the Match honours.[2][3] Later that year, he was a standout player in the IUMI Cup, a competition mostly for youth players which also features players from the Telekom S-League.[4] Orobulu scored at least fifteen goals as the second-best scorer in the competition.[5]
For the 2023 S-League season, Orobulu joined Southern United.[6] In the club's first match of the season, Orobulu scored a hat-trick against defending champions Solomon Warriors. It was the first hat-trick scored by any player in the new season.[7] In his first four league matches, the player scored five goals to take an early lead in the Golden Boot race.[8] To open the second half of the season, Orobulu scored a brace in a 2–1 victory over Marist. The brace increased Orobulu's goal tally to fourteen, five more than second-place Gagame Feni.[9]
Following his golden boot win at the 2023 Pacific Games, Orobulu was expected to join Ba of the Fiji Premier League during the winter 2024 transfer window.[10] Another Fijian club, Nadroga F.C. was also reportedly close to signing the player, before Orobulu ultimately declined the deal.[11] Shortly thereafter it was announced in late January 2024 that he had joined domestic side Henderson Eels for the 2024 season.[12]
International career
[edit]In July 2023, while top scorer in the S-League, Orobulu was called up to the Solomon Islands national team for the first time for a training camp.[13] The following October, head coach Felipe Vega-Arango named Orobulu as one of three new players in the senior squad that would take part in the 2023 MSG Prime Minister's Cup in New Caledonia as a preparation for the 2023 Pacific Games.[14] Orobulu made his debut in the opening match of the tournament, an eventual 3–1 victory over Papua New Guinea on 8 October.[15]
Orobulu was named to the Solomon's squad for the Pacific Games in November 2023. He went on to be the top scorer in the competition with eight goals.[16] His performances included a goal against Samoa,[17] five against American Samoa,[18] and a brace against New Caledonia in the final. Orobulu's two goals in the championship match were not enough as the Solomon Islands drew 2–2 in regulation before falling on penalties.[19]
International goals
[edit]Scores and results list the Solomon Islands' goal tally first.[20]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 17 November 2023 | Lawson Tama Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands |  Samoa |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2023 Pacific Games |
| 2. | 23 November 2023 |  American Samoa |
1–0 | 1–0 | ||
| 3. | 7–0 | |||||
| 4. | 9–0 | |||||
| 5. | 10–0 | |||||
| 6. | 11–0 | |||||
| 7. | 2 December 2023 | National Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands |  New Caledonia |
1–1 | 2–2 | |
| 8. | 2–2 | |||||
| Last updated 23 November 2023 | ||||||
International career statistics
[edit]- As of match played 18 June 2024[20]
| Solomon Islands national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 7 | 8 |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 9 | 8 |
References
[edit]- ^ Abana, Simon. "Malaita Eagles win fifth Solomon Cup". Solomon Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ "John Orabulu sealed 4 goals for Honiara Warriors to register first 3 points against a determined Makira Ulawa side". Solomon Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ "Day 4-Player of the Match". Solomon Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ Iroga, Robert. "Meet the man behind the IUMI Cup Championship". Solomon Business Magazine. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ Terry, Floyd. "Molea on fire". Solomon Star News. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ Abana, Simon. "FC Juniper Tree, Central Coast FC and Southern United ends first league round on a high". Solomon Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ Aruafu, Carlos. "TSL season kicks off". Solomon Star News. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ Saltori, Rafael. "Telekom S-League: Southern United's Orobulu rises as 'Golden Boot' surprise candidate". Oceania Football Center. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ Aruafu, Carlos. "Orobulu strikes again". Solomon Star News. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ Mamu, Moffat. "Kakasi to rejoin Ba". The Solomon Star News. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ Cama, Akuila. "Solomon Islands star Orobulu for Nadroga". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ Mamu, Moffat. "Orobulu for Eels". The Solomon Star News. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "Twenty-five (25) players have been called up to join the Solomon Islands national training squad training sessions starting next week". Solomon Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ "MSG PM Cup a test preparation for Sol2023 Games". Solomon Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ "GSA profile". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
- ^ "Solomon Islands men's football settles for silver at home". Solomon Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- ^ Aruafu, Carlos. "Solomon Islands secure narrow victory in men's football opener". Pacific Games News Service. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- ^ Alex, Chris. "Orobulu Scores Five Goals As Solomon Islands Thrash American Samoa". Solomon Islands Sports Media. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- ^ "Papua New Guinea and New Caledonia Take Pacific Games Glory". Oceania Football Confederation. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- ^ a b "NFT profile". National Football Teams. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
External links
[edit]- John Orobulu at National-Football-Teams.com
- John Orobulu at Global Sports Archive
