Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | September 28, 2000 | ||
Place of birth | Montreal, Quebec, Canada | ||
Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Rhode Island FC | ||
Youth career | |||
CS Fabrose | |||
Étoiles de l’Est | |||
2017–2019 | Montreal Impact | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2019–2022 | CF Montréal [lower-alpha 1] | 2 | (0) |
2021–2022 | → Cavalry FC (loan) | 49 | (1) |
2023 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 1 | (0) |
2023 | → Whitecaps FC 2 (loan) | 6 | (0) |
2024– | Rhode Island FC | 9 | (1) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of May 18, 2024 |
Karifa Yao (born September 28, 2000) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Rhode Island FC of the USL Championship.
Yao began playing youth soccer at age seven with CS Fabrose. [1] Afterwards, he joined youth club Étoiles de l’Est. [2] He was also part of the National High Performance Centre. [3] In 2017, he joined the Montreal Impact Academy, playing a year with the U17s, before playing two years with the U19s. [4]
In June 2019, Yao signed a homegrown contract with Montreal Impact. [5] He made his professional debut on September 20, 2020, appearing as a substitute against the Philadelphia Union. [6]
In February 2021, Yao went on a season-long loan to Canadian Premier League side Cavalry FC. [7] [8] On November 20, Yao scored his first professional goal against Pacific FC, netting the equalizer in their 2021 CPL season play-off semi-final, which ultimately ended in a 2-1 defeat for Cavalry. [9] [10] He was selected as Cavalry fans’ Player of the Year in 2021. [11] After the 2021 season, Cavalry announced that Yao would leave the club at the end of his loan spell, [12] [13] and CF Montréal announced that they would exercise the option on Yao's contract for 2022. [14] In March 2022, he extended his contract with Montreal adding another option year, [15] while also returning to Cavalry on loan for a second season. [16] [17] He played a pivotal role for Cavalry, leading all outfield players in minutes played for the team. [18] [19] Over his time with Cavalry, he scored two goals and added two assists in 56 games, across all competitions. [20]
After the 2022 season, his option was declined by Montreal and he departed the club. [21] However, at the 2022 MLS Re-Entry Draft, Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced they had picked up Yao's contract for the 2023 season. [22] [23] [24] He made his debut for the Whitecaps on March 8, in a CONCACAF Champions League match against Honduran club Real España. [25]
In January 2024, he signed a professional contract with USL Championship expansion side Rhode Island FC. [26] [27]
In March 2015, he was called up to a camp with the Canada U15 team. [1] In April 2017, he was called up to a camp with the Canada U17 team. [1]
Yao was born in to an Ivorian father and a Senegalese mother. [28] [29]
Club | Season | League | Playoffs | Domestic Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
CF Montréal | 2019 | Major League Soccer | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | ||||
2020 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 2 | 0 | ||||
Total | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
Cavalry FC (loan) | 2021 | Canadian Premier League | 25 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 28 | 1 | ||
2022 | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 28 | 1 | ||||
Total | 49 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 2 | ||
Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2023 | Major League Soccer | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Whitecaps FC 2 (loan) | 2023 | MLS Next Pro | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
Rhode Island FC | 2024 | USL Championship | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
Career total | 67 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 78 | 3 |
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