Ifeanyi Emeghara

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Ifeanyi Emeghara
Personal information
Full name Ifeanyi Innocenti Emeghara
Date of birth (1984-03-24) 24 March 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth Lagos, Nigeria
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Ebedei
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2003–2004 Teleoptik
2004–2005 Partizan 36 (0)
2006–2007 Politehnica Timișoara 42 (0)
2007–2011 Steaua București 42 (0)
2011 Steaua II București 2 (0)
2013 Gabala 4 (0)
Total126(0)
International career
2007–2008 Nigeria 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ifeanyi Innocenti Emeghara (born 24 March 1984) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a defender. He was deployed equally on the left and the right flank.

Contents

Club career

Partizan

After failing to find a club in Italy, Emeghara arrived to Partizan for a trial in January 2003, accompanied by compatriot Oladipupo Martins. [1] They were both eventually assigned to affiliated club Teleoptik. After spending 18 months with the Optičari, Emeghara was promoted to the Partizan first team in June 2004, penning his first professional contract on a four-year deal. [2] He was given the number 16 shirt, [3] previously worn by fellow countryman Taribo West.

In his first season with the Crno-beli, Emeghara established himself as the team's first-choice left-back, making 39 appearances in all competitions, as Partizan won the league title with an unbeaten record and reached the knockout stage of the UEFA Cup. [4] In January 2006, Emeghara was transferred to Romanian club Politehnica Timișoara on a three-year deal. [5]

Steaua București

In June 2007, Emeghara moved to Steaua București for a reported transfer fee of €1.2 million. [6] His time with the Roș-albaștrii was plagued with injuries, particularly to his knees, causing him to make only 58 competitive appearances over the course of five seasons. In February 2013, after being out of contract for a year, Emeghara signed with Azerbaijani side Gabala. [7]

International career

Emeghara made his international debut for Nigeria on 17 November 2007, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 friendly loss against Australia. He was named in Berti Vogts' 23-man squad for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, [8] remaining an unused substitute during the tournament.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition [9]
ClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Partizan 2004–05 24040110390
2005–06 1201040170
Total36050150560
Politehnica Timișoara 2005–06 14000—140
2006–07 28030—310
Total42030—450
Steaua București 2007–08 1202050190
2008–09 00000000
2009–10 1100010120
2010–11 1102030160
2011–12 801020110
Total42050110580
Steaua II București 2010–11 20——20
Gabala 2012–13 4000—40
Career total12601302601650

Honours

Partizan

Steaua București

References

  1. ↑ "Stigli Nigerijci !" (in Serbian). partizan.rs. 11 January 2003. Retrieved 30 July 2018.[ permanent dead link ]
  2. ↑ "Potpisao i Emeghara" (in Serbian). partizan.rs. 26 June 2004. Retrieved 30 July 2018.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. ↑ "Partizan: Simon Vukčević nosi broj 1" (in Serbian). b92.net. 1 August 2004. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  4. ↑ "Unbeaten Partizan take title". UEFA. 17 May 2005. Archived from the original on 30 July 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  5. ↑ "Emeghara potpisao za Politehniku iz Temišvara" (in Serbian). partizan.rs. 15 January 2006. Archived from the original on 3 September 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  6. ↑ "Emeghara va juca cinci ani la Steaua" (in Romanian). 9am.ro. 11 June 2007. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  7. ↑ "Short update to senior team staff - Photos". gabalafc.az. 3 February 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  8. ↑ "Nigeria name strong squad". bbc.co.uk. 10 January 2008. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 Ifeanyi Emeghara at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
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