Kofi Opare

Kofi Opare

Opare playing for Michigan in 2011
Personal information
Full name Kofi Opare
Date of birth (1990-10-12) October 12, 1990
Place of birth Mampong, Ghana
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current team
 D.C. United
Number 6
Youth career
2007–2008 St. Catharines' Concord Gunners
2009–2012 Michigan Wolverines
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2012 Michigan Bucks 6 (0)
2012 Detroit City FC 4 (0)
2013–2014 LA Galaxy 12 (1)
2014 → LA Galaxy II (loan) 5 (0)
2014– D.C. United 28 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of November 1, 2016.


Kofi Opare (born October 12, 1990) is a Ghanaian footballer who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer. He has previously played for the Michigan Bucks, Detroit City FC and LA Galaxy.

Career

Early life

Opare was born on October 12, 1990, in Mampong, Ghana. His family lived in Pretoria, South Africa and Newark, New Jersey, United States before settling in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.[1]

College and Amateur

After spending his youth career with St. Catharines Concord Gunners, Opare committed to the University of Michigan on March 4, 2009, where he would spend all four years of his college career.[2] In his freshman year with the Wolverines, Opare made 14 appearances and scored his first collegiate goal on September 11 in a 3-0 victory over Wright State.[3] He also went on to be named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team.[4] In 2010, he made 25 appearances and help lead Michigan to the College Cup semi-final where they would fall 2-1 to the eventual champion Akron Zips.[5] In 2011, Opare started all 20 games for the Wolverines and finished the year with two goals and one assist and was also named All-Big Ten Second Team.[6] In his final season with Michigan, Opare made 17 appearances and finished the year with three goals.

During his time in College, Opare also played for Michigan Bucks in the USL Premier Development League[7][8][9] and for Detroit City FC in the National Premier Soccer League.[10]

Professional

On January 17, 2013, Opare was selected in the second round (24th overall) of the 2013 MLS SuperDraft by Los Angeles Galaxy.[11] He signed his first professional contract with the club on March 11.[12] On August 20, Opare made his professional debut for the club in a 2-0 victory over Costa Rican side Cartaginés in the CONCACAF Champions League.[13]

Opare was traded to D.C. United in July 2014 with a second-round pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft in exchange for a swap in places in the MLS allocation order.[14]

International

Opare was called up to a training camp in Trinidad and Tobago with the U.S. U-20 national team by Thomas Rongen in January 2009 ahead of the 2009 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.[15] During the camp, the U.S played against the Trinidad U-17 team.

However, the then 18-year-old Opare was not called up to CONCACAF U-20 Championship roster as he was not eligible to play. In May 2008 FIFA had updated their regulations with immediate effect and required that players reside "continuously for at least five years after reaching the age of 18 on the territory of the relevant Association" to become eligible to play for a national team in a competitive game.[16] It was a measure put in place by FIFA to prevent countries offering citizenship to talented footballers and allowing them to play for the national team immediately despite not having any ties to the country.

The change in regulations meant that despite living in Ontario for four years as a teenager, Opare would not be eligible to represent Canada irrespective of holding citizenship unless he lives there for five years after the age of 18,[17] Opare could however represent U.S. in competitive football as he meets those requirements for the U.S. Opare is also eligible to play for Ghana, the nation where he was born.

Personal

Opare holds both U.S. and Canadian citizenship.[18]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Serrano, Adam (January 29, 2013). "From Ghana to The Home Depot Center: Kofi Opare's journey to MLS". LAGalaxy.com. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Wolverines Add Nine Student-Athletes to 2009 Roster". MGoBlue. University of Michigan. March 4, 2009. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Second-Half Barrage Gives Michigan Home Win Over Wright State". MGoBlue. University of Michigan. September 11, 2009. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Wolverines Land Five on All-Big Ten Teams". MGoBlue. University of Michigan. November 12, 2009. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Wolverines Fall One Game Short of NCAA Title Shot, Lose to No. 2 Akron". MGoBlue. University of Michigan. December 10, 2010. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Alashe, Opare on All-Big Ten Second Team, Arnone Voted All-Freshman". MGoBlue. University of Michigan. November 10, 2011. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  7. ↑ "2010 Michigan Bucks stats". USLsoccer.com. United Soccer Leagues. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  8. ↑ "2011 Michigan Bucks stats". USLsoccer.com. United Soccer Leagues. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  9. ↑ "2012 Michigan Bucks stats". USLsoccer.com. United Soccer Leagues. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  10. ↑ "2012 Detroit City FC stats". National Premier Soccer League. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Opare Selected by LA Galaxy with 24th Pick in MLS SuperDraft". MGoBlue. University of Michigan. January 17, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  12. ↑ "LA Galaxy sign defender Kofi Opare". Los Angeles Galaxy. LA Galaxy Communications. March 11, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  13. ↑ "LA Galaxy 2, CS Cartagines 0 | CONCACAF Champions League Match Recap". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. August 20, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  14. ↑ http://www.dcunited.com/news/2014/07/dc-united-acquires-kofi-opare-from-la-galaxy
  15. ↑ "Rongen Names 19 Players to Travel to Trinidad & Tobago as Preparation for CONCACAF Championship". USsoccer. January 12, 2009. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Yes to 6+5 and new WADA Code". FIFA.com. May 30, 2008. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  17. ↑ http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2015/05/04/his-stock-rising-dc-united-kofi-opare-looking-secure-canada-eligibility
  18. ↑ http://www.mlssoccer.com/players/kofi-opare
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