Kei Kamara
 |
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kei Ansu Kamara | ||
| Date of birth | September 1, 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Kenema, Sierra Leone | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Sporting Kansas City | ||
| Number | 23 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2005 | Dominguez Hills Toros | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2004–2005 | Orange County Blue Star | 19 | (16) |
| 2006–2007 | Columbus Crew | 36 | (5) |
| 2008 | San Jose Earthquakes | 12 | (2) |
| 2008–2009 | Houston Dynamo | 32 | (7) |
| 2009– | Sporting Kansas City | 100 | (31) |
| 2013 | → Norwich City (loan) | 11 | (1) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2008– | Sierra Leone | 15 | (2) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 May 2013. † Appearances (Goals). |
|||
Kei Ansu Kamara (/ˈkaɪ kəˈmɑrə/; born 1 September 1984 in Kenema) is a Sierra Leone-American footballer who plays for Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer.
Early life
Kamara was born and raised in Kenema, Sierra Leone's third largest city. As a teenager, his family fled to The Gambia for two years to escape the civil war in Sierra Leone. At age 16, Kamara and his family then migrated to the United States through a refugee program, and settled with relatives in Hawthorne, California, near Los Angeles.[1]
Playing career
College and amateur
Kamara played college soccer at California State University Dominguez Hills, where, in his sophomore season, he was named third-team All-American. Kamara also spent two seasons with Orange County Blue Star in the USL Premier Development League.
Professional career in the United States
Kamara was chosen by Columbus Crew ninth overall at the 2006 MLS SuperDraft. Prior to the 2008 season, he was traded to the San Jose Earthquakes in exchange for Brian Carroll. On 24 July 2008, Kamara was traded to the Houston Dynamo for a draft pick and allocation money. On 30 September 2008, Kamara scored two goals for MLS champion Houston Dynamo against Mexican club UNAM Pumas in a CONCACAF Champions League match.
On 15 September 2009, Kamara was traded to Sporting Kansas City for Abe Thompson and allocation money.
Norwich City
Following several productive seasons with Kansas City which saw him become one of the most imposing wingers in the league,[2] Kamara was a transfer target of Norwich City of the English Premier League during the winter 2013 transfer window,[3] following an unsuccessful trial at Stoke City earlier in the off-season.[4] It was announced on 30 January 2013 that Kamara was signed on loan by Norwich for the remainder of the 2012–13 Premier League season. Norwich had the option for a pre-negotiated permanent transfer or to return Kamara to Sporting at the end of the season, in which case Kamara would miss the first 10 matches of the MLS season. As part of the deal, Kamara's contract with Major League Soccer was extended.[4] Norwich City announced on 5 February that Kamara was granted a visa, making him legally eligible to play for the club.[5] Kamara made his league debut for Norwich as an 86th minute substitute in a 0-0 draw with Fulham on 9 February 2013. His performance during his cameo appearance was described as a "...promising glimpse of Kamara’s potential..." On the next matchday, 23 February, Kamara came on as a 58th minute substitute. In the 84th minute of that match, Kamara scored his first goal for Norwich City, equalising 1–1 against Everton with a powerful header at Carrow Road, in an eventual 2–1 victory after Grant Holt scored in injury time.[6][7]
On the 4th of May 2013 Norwich City confirmed the loan deal had ended and he would be returning to Sporting Kansas City with immediate effect.[8]
International
Kamara has been capped fifteen times by the Sierra Leone national football team, commonly referred to as the Leone Stars. Kamara has formed a regular partnership up front with fellow Kenema native Mohamed Kallon in the Leone Stars attack. On 5 September 2010, during a 1-1 draw with Egypt in Sierra Leone's first group stage match in qualification for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
International goals
- Scores and results list Sierra Leone's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 16 June 2012 | National Stadium, Freetown |  São Tomé and Príncipe |
|
|
2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier[9] |
| 2. | 16 June 2012 | National Stadium, Freetown | São Tomé and Príncipe |
|
|
2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier[9] |
Honours
Individual
- Sierra Leonean Player of The Year: 2012[10]
Columbus Crew
- Major League Soccer Fair Play Award (1): 2007
Sporting Kansas City
- Major League Soccer Eastern Conference Regular Season Championship (2): 2011, 2012
- Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (1): 2012
References
- ^ "Sierra Leone fans hail Kei Kamara debut". ESPN. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
- ^ Wiebe, Andrew. "Rumor Central: Norwich reportedly interested in bringing Kamara to EPL". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
- ^ "Norwich make move for Sierra Leone international Kei Kamara". Sky Sports. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
- ^ a b Firchau, Nick. "Sporting KC's Kamara loaned out to EPL side Norwich City". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
- ^ "KAMARA GRANTED VISA". Norwich City Football Club. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- ^ Hain-Cole, Al. "Norwich 0-0 Fulham: Canaries still searching for first league win since December". Goal.com. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
- ^ Lalas, Greg. "HIGHLIGHT: Sporting KC's Kei Kamara scores to lead EPL's Norwich City to victory". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
- ^ "Kei Kamara to rejoin Sporting Kansas City, eligible for selection in midweek game vs. Seattle". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
- ^ a b "Sierra Leone vs. São Tomé e Príncipe". Soccerway.com. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
- ^ Barrie, Mohamed Fajah. "Kei Kamara voted Sierra Leonean player of the year 2012". Sierra Leone Football. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
External links
- MLS player profile
- Kei Kamara at National-Football-Teams.com
- Kei Kamara career stats at Soccerbase
|
|||||
