Kwame Opoku (born 8 May 1999) is a Ghanaian footballer who plays as a forward for Olympique Khouribga and the Ghana national team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kwame Opoku | ||
| Date of birth | 8 May 1999 | ||
| Place of birth | Kumasi, Ghana | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Olympique Khouribga | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Nkoranza Warriors | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| –2020 | Nkoranza Warriors | ||
| 2020–2021 | Asante Kotoko | 16 | (7) |
| 2021–2023 | USM Alger | 34 | (5) |
| 2022 | → Najran SC (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2023– | Olympique Khouribga | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2021– | Ghana | 3 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 3 June 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 June 2021 | |||
Club career
editAsante Kotoko
editOpoku began his career at Division One League side Nkoranza Warriors, before signing for Asante Kotoko.[1][2] In 2020, Asante Kotoko announced that they had signed him from Nkoranza-based club Nkoranza Warriors on a three-year contract.[3][4] He scored on his Kotoko debut against Eleven Wonders on 15 November 2020 after coming on playing the full 90 minutes. The match ended in a 1–1 draw with Prince Okraku scoring Wonder's equaliser.[5] On 22 November during his second start of the season, he scored his second goal against Berekum Chelsea, the match also ended in a 1–1 draw after Emmanuel Clottey came on in the second 75th minute to score a 96th minute late equalizer.[6]
On 11 January 2021, he scored a first half brace to earn Kotoko a win against Liberty professionals at the Accra Sports stadium. The second goal was assisted by Brazilian footballer Fábio Gama.[7] On 7 February 2021, Opoku scored Asante Kotoko's second goal via an assist from Emmanuel Gyamfi against then league leaders Karela United to dislodge them and move to the top of the table.[8] He played his final match against King Faisal on 10 March 2021 after which he signed a contract with USM Alger. At the end of his one-year stint, he played 21 games and scored 8 goals, with 7 of the goals in the Ghana Premier League. At the time of his departure he was the top goal scorer for the club in the 2020–21 season.[9]
USM Alger
editOn 16 March 2021, Opoku signed a four and half years contract with USM Alger for 350,000 euro.[10] On 8 May 2021, Opoku played his first competitive match in the League Cup in the Algiers Derby and scored a goal in the match that ended in 2–0 victory, which occurred on his 22nd birthday.[11]
After joining them only in the second round of the season, Opoku made an immediate impact and ended his first season in Algeria with 5 goals and 4 assists in 17 matches in all competitions.[12]
Olympique Khouribga
editOn 1 February 2023, Opoku joined Moroccan side Olympique Khouribga.[13]
International career
editOpoku debuted for the Ghana national team in a 1–1 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification tie with South Africa on 25 March 2021.[14]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of 17 June 2022 [15]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Asante Kotoko | 2020–21 | Ghana Premier League | 16 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 5[a] | 1 | — | 21 | 8 | |
| USM Alger | 2020–21 | Ligue 1 | 16 | 4 | — | — | 1[b] | 1 | 17 | 5 | ||
| 2021–22 | 18 | 1 | — | — | — | 18 | 1 | |||||
| Total | 34 | 5 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 35 | 6 | ||||
| Career total | 50 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 56 | 14 | ||
- ^ three appearances in CAF Champions League, two appearances and one goal in CAF Confederation Cup
- ^ All appearances in Algerian League Cup
References
edit- ^ "Kotoko to announce signing of Nkoranza Warriors goal poacher". Ghana Sports Online. 11 February 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
- ^ Bonaventure, Kolog Yenwonah. "BREAKING: Nkoranza Warriors SC release statement on Kwame Opoku | Ghana Sports Center". Retrieved 18 January 2021.
- ^ "OFFICIAL: Kotoko sign striker Kwame Opoku from Nkoranza Warriors". The Ghana Guardian News. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
- ^ "Asante Kotoko complete signing of Kwame Opoku from Nkoranza Warriors". www.ghanaweb.com. 17 February 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
- ^ "Asante Kotoko forward Kwame Opoku delighted to have scored on his debut, assures fans of more goals". GhanaSoccernet. 18 November 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
- ^ "Kotoko forward Kwame Opoku dedicates goal against Berekum Chelsea to 'birthday boy' Felix Annan". GhanaSoccernet. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
- ^ "GPL: Kwame Opoku brace earns Kotoko win over Liberty". My Joy Online. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
- ^ Teye, Prince Narkortu (7 February 2021). "Asante Kotoko see off Karela United to move top of Ghana Premier League". Goal. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
- ^ Cobblah, Henry (10 March 2021). "End Of The Road: Kwame Opoku Plays Last Match For Asante Kotoko Against King Faisal". 442 GH. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
- ^ "USMA : Opoku s'engagera pour quatre ans et demi". DZFoot.com. 16 March 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
- ^ "Coupe de la Ligue : L'USMA domine le MCA, le WAT et le NCM créent la surprise". DZFoot.com. 9 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
- ^ "Algeria: Striker Kwame Opoku scores winner as USM Alger beat Paradou". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ "Kwame Opoku completes move to Olympique Khouribga". February 2023.
- ^ "Match Report of South Africa vs Ghana - 2021-03-25 - Total Africa Cup of Nations Qualification". Global Sports Archive. 25 March 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
- ^ "Kwame Opoku". Soccerway.
External links
edit- Kwame Opoku at Soccerway
- Kwame Opoku at Global Sports Archive