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Ini-Abasi Umotong

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Ini-Abasi Anefiok Umotong (born 15 May 1994) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward[6] for the Nigeria national team.

Ini-Abasi Umotong
Umotong playing for Lewes in 2022
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 9 in)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Birmingham City[3]
2011–2012[4] Aston Villa
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Wright State Raiders 38 (11)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2016 Portsmouth 45 (54)
2016–2017 Oxford United 26 (17)
2017–2020 Brighton & Hove Albion 46 (11)
2020 Växjö DFF 15 (2)
2021–2022 Lewes 20 (9)
International career‡
2015– Nigeria 7[5] (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 31 July 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21 May 2018 (UTC)

Early life

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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 Dr Ben Anefiok and Grace Umotong of Ikono in Old Cross River State. She began playing football at the age of five and it was in Primary school where she was spotted by Birmingham City in 2003. She later attended the selective King Edward VI Five Ways Grammar School.

International career

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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.

In January 2019 at the Four Nations Tournament in China, Umotong scored her first goal for the Super Falcons. She emerged from the substitute's bench to register the final goal in a 4–1 win over Romania. "One of the stand-out moments of my career," she said.[12]

Club career

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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[13] 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.

 
Umotong (left) playing for Brighton & Hove Albion against Manchester United in February 2019

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."[14] She had scored 25 goals for Portsmouth during the first part of 2015–16.[15] With Oxford Umotong continued to score regularly, finishing FA WSL 2 top-goalscorer with 13 goals in 19 appearances, before adding four goals in seven appearances in the FA WSL Spring Series.[16]

After a transfer to Brighton & Hove Albion in July 2017,[17] Umotong scored eight league goals to help the Seagulls finish second in the re-branded second tier (now known as the FA Women's Championship). When Brighton successfully bid for a franchise in the top division, Umotong was one of the club's existing players to be kept on. She hailed the influence of Brighton coach Hope Powell, crediting the former England manager with a dramatic improvement in her game.[18]

Personal life

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Before becoming a full-time footballer with Brighton, Umotong combined her football career with her studies for an Economics degree at the University of Southampton. She graduated with first-class honours and claimed to have been inspired by fellow British-Nigerian footballer Eniola Aluko.[19]

Honours

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Portsmouth F.C. Women

References

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  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 4 March 2016.
  7. ^ "Coach Edwin Okon Calls 36 to Camp". Nigeria Football Federation's (thenff) Official Website. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  8. ^ Chibuogwu Nnadiegbulam. "Excited Umotong relishes her call up to Super Falcons, celebrates with a brace – SportON Nigeria". Archived from the original on 30 June 2015.
  9. ^ Chibuogwu Nnadiegbulam. "Umotong lands in Super Falcons camp, plays first test match – SportON Nigeria". Archived from the original on 30 June 2015.
  10. ^ "World Cup hopeful Umotong scores on Nigerian bow". Sent Her Forward.
  11. ^ "Canada 2015 World Cup excites Umotong, Dike". Nigeria Football Federation. 28 May 2015. Archived from the original on 1 September 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  12. ^ Ketley, Jake (25 January 2019). "Umotong thrilled with first international goal". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  13. ^ "Substitute Umotong's double helps Portsmouth to Hampshire Cup record – Sent Her Forward". Sent Her Forward.
  14. ^ "Ini Umotong: Oxford United Women sign Portsmouth Ladies striker". BBC Sport. 24 February 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  15. ^ "Oxford snap up Ini Umotong". She Kicks. 24 February 2016. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  16. ^ "9 Ini Umotong Forward". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Retrieved 9 March 2019.[permanent dead link]
  17. ^ Bailey, Steve (26 July 2017). "Albion women sign Nigerian international". Brighton & Hove Independent. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  18. ^ "Umotong buoyed by a new challenge". The Football Association. 12 September 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  19. ^ "This is how Ini Umotong juggled World Cup football with her First Class honours degree". Copa90. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  20. ^ "Pompey win the league after victory over West Ham".
  21. ^ Neil Weld. "Portsmouth Ladies 4 Southampton 1 in Hampshire Cup final".
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