Innocent Emeghara

Last updated

Innocent Emeghara
Innocent Emeghara - Switzerland vs. Argentina, 29th February 2012.jpg
Emeghara with Switzerland in 2012
Personal information
Full name Innocent Nkasiobi Emeghara
Date of birth (1989-05-27) 27 May 1989 (age 34)
Place of birth Lagos, Nigeria
Height1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
2002–2003 FC Töss 1906
2003–2006 Winterthur
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2006–2009 Zürich II 47 (16)
2009–2010 Winterthur 28 (17)
2010–2011 Grasshoppers 40 (14)
2011–2013 Lorient 28 (5)
2013–2014 Siena 17 (7)
2013–2014 → Livorno (loan) 30 (4)
2014–2015 Qarabağ 8 (5)
2015–2016 San Jose Earthquakes 13 (1)
2017–2018 Ermis 28 (9)
2018–2019 Qarabağ 11 (5)
2019–2020 Fatih Karagümrük 31 (7)
2020–2021 FC Winterthur 15 (1)
International career‡
2011 Switzerland U21 8 (5)
2012 Switzerland Olympic 4 (1)
2011–2013 Switzerland 9 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 March 2021
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23 March 2013

Innocent Nkasiobi Emeghara (born 27 May 1989) is a retired Swiss professional footballer who played most commonly as a striker.

Contents

Club career

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, his mother moved to Switzerland when Emeghara was 11, and joined with them two years later. He started playing football as a means to "cope with the language barrier and cold temperatures". [1] He began his senior career with FC Zürich's reserves aged only 17, going on to represent FC Winterthur and Grasshopper Club Zürich; on 20 August 2011, whilst at the service of the latter, he scored a hat-trick in a 4–3 away win against Servette FC, which meant he led the Super League's scoring charts at five in only six games. [2]

On 31 August 2011, Emeghara was sold to FC Lorient in France. He made his debut in Ligue 1 on 10 September, coming on as a substitute for Mathias Autret in a 1–1 draw at FC Sochaux-Montbéliard and netting the equalizer two minutes from time. [3] He scored four more league goals until the end of his first season, adding two in the Coupe de la Ligue.

In January 2013, Emeghara moved teams and countries again, joining Italian side A.C. Siena. [4] He scored four goals in as many matches to kickstart his Serie A career, including a brace in a 3–0 home success over S.S. Lazio on 18 February; [5] his team, however, finally suffered relegation after ranking second from bottom.

For the 2013–2014 campaign, Emeghara continued in Italy's top flight, being loaned to A.S. Livorno Calcio. [6] [7] On 31 March 2014, he contributed with one goal to help the hosts come from behind to tie it 2–2 with Inter Milan. [8]

In July 2014, Emeghara became a free agent after Siena went into liquidation. [9] On 11 October he signed a three-year contract with Azerbaijan Premier League side FK Qarabağ, [10] but left on 5 January of the following year and began training with Winterthur, [11] before going on trial with HSV Hamburg the following week. [12]

Late into January 2015, Emeghara joined the San Jose Earthquakes. [13] He made his debut in the Major League Soccer on 8 March, playing one minute in a 0–1 away loss against FC Dallas. [14]

On 24 July 2018, Emeghara returned to Qarabağ on a two-year deal from Ermis Aradippou FC, [15] but was released early from his contract by mutual consent on 13 May 2019. [16]

In October 2020, after he trained already three weeks with the club, Emeghara signed a two-year contract at his home-based club FC Winterthur, where he launched his career back in 2010. [17] His contract with Winterthur was terminated by the club in July 2021. [18] He consequently retired from professional football.


International career

Emeghara opted to represent Switzerland internationally, and he made his debut on 4 June 2011 by playing one minute in a 2–2 draw in England for the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifiers. [19]

In that same year, he helped the under-21 team finish second at the 2011 UEFA European Championship, scoring in the 2–0 group stage win against Iceland. [20] He represented the country at the 2012 Summer Olympics, netting in the 1–2 group phase defeat by South Korea. [21]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 11 September 2021 [22] [23] [24]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Zürich II 2006–07 Swiss 1. Liga 62–––62
2007–08155–––155
2008–09269–––269
Total4716------4716
Winterthur 2009–10 Swiss Challenge League 281735–––3122
Grasshoppers 2010–11 Swiss Super League 33941–2 [lower-alpha 1] 0–3910
2011–12 7500–––75
Total401441--20--4615
Lorient 2011–12 Ligue 1 2751032––317
2012–13 100000––10
Total2851032----327
Siena 2012–13 Serie A 17700–––177
2013–14 Serie B 0000–––00
Total17700------177
Livorno (loan) 2013–14 Serie A30400–––304
Qarabağ 2014–15 Azerbaijan Premier League 7411–000085
San Jose Earthquakes 2015 Major League Soccer 7100–––71
2016 6010–––70
Total13110------141
Ermis 2017–18 Cypriot First Division 28920–––309
Qarabağ 2018–19 Azerbaijan Premier League11500–7 [lower-alpha 2] 0–185
Fatih Karagümrük 2019–20 TFF First League 31710–––327
Winterthur 2020–21 Swiss Challenge League15100–––151
Career total2959013732900032099
  1. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  2. ↑ Three appearances in UEFA Champions League, four appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

As of 23 March 2013 [25]
Switzerland
YearAppsGoals
201150
201230
201310
Total90

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qarabağ FK</span> Association football based in Baku

Qarabağ Futbol Klubu, commonly known as Qarabağ, is an Azerbaijani professional football club that competes in the Azerbaijan Premier League, the top flight of Azerbaijani football. The club originates from Aghdam in the occupied Karabakh region, but has not played in its hometown since 1993 due to the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. The club now plays in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan. Qarabağ plays its matches at the Azersun Arena and Tofiq Bahramov Stadium in Baku, which also serves as the venue for Azerbaijan national team matches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rashad Sadygov</span> Azerbaijani footballer (born 1982)

Rashad Sadygov is an Azerbaijani football manager and former player who played as a centre-back.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vagif Javadov</span> Azerbaijani footballer (born 1989)

Vagif Javadov is an Azerbaijani football coach and a former player who played as a striker. He was voted Azerbaijani Footballer of the Year in 2009.

Moustapha Dabo is a Senegalese footballer, who plays for Terengganu in Malaysia Super League.11

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Míchel (footballer, born 1985)</span> Spanish footballer

Miguel Marcos Madera, commonly known as Míchel, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Araz Abdullayev</span> Azerbaijani footballer (born 1992)

Araz Abdulla oğlu Abdullayev is an Azerbaijani footballer who last plays as a winger for Azerbaijani club Zira and the Azerbaijan national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muarem Muarem</span> Macedonian association footballer (born 1988)

Ramiz Muarem Muarem is a Macedonian association footballer. Muarem plays as a midfielder. He most recently played for the Macedonian First Football League side Shkupi and has played for Qarabağ in Azerbaijan, Eskişehirspor, Orduspor in Turkey and FK Rabotnički in North Macedonia at club level as well as the North Macedonia national football team, for whom he has three caps, all won in 2011. He has also represented Macedonia at under-17, under-19 and under-21 level. Muarem is right-footed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pedro Henrique (footballer, born 1990)</span> Brazilian footballer

Pedro Henrique Konzen Medina da Silva, commonly referred to as Pedro Henrique, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Corinthians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yassine Benzia</span> Algerian footballer (born 1994)

Yassine Benzia is a professional footballer who plays for Azerbaijan Premier League club Qarabağ and the Algeria national team. He mainly plays as an attacking or a central midfielder but can also play as a winger or striker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Almeida</span> Association football player (born 1989)

Richard Almeida de Oliveira is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Qarabağ. Born in Brazil, he played for the Azerbaijan national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis Iapichino</span> Swiss footballer (born 1990)

Dennis Iapichino is a Swiss footballer who plays as defender, mainly left-back, and at present for Rapperswil-Jona in the Promotion League, the third tier of the Swiss football league system.

The Qarabağ 2014–15 season was Qarabağ's 22nd Azerbaijan Premier League season and their seventh season under manager Gurban Gurbanov. They completed a domestic double by defending their Premier League title and winning the Azerbaijan Cup. In Europe, Qarabağ were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League in the 3rd qualifying round by Red Bull Salzburg, resulting in them going into the Play-off round for the UEFA Europa League. In the Europa League, Qarabağ reached the group stages for the first time, where they finished third, behind Internazionale and Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, and ahead of Saint-Étienne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramil Sheydayev</span> Azerbaijani-Russian footballer (born 1996)

Ramil Teymurovich Sheydayev is an Azerbaijani professional footballer who plays for Turkish TFF First League club Kocaelispor and the Azerbaijan national football team.

The 1971–72 season was Fussball Club Basel 1893's 78th season in their existence. It was their 26th consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football after their promotion the season 1945–46. They played their home games in the St. Jakob Stadium. The club's chairman was Félix Musfeld for the second year in a row.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1978–79 FC Basel season</span> FC Basel 1978–79 football season

The Fussball Club Basel 1893 1978–79 season was their 85th season since the club was founded. It was their 33rd consecutive season in the top flight of Swiss football after they won promotion during the season 1945–46. They played their home games in the St. Jakob Stadium. This was René Theler's third period as chairman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mahir Emreli</span> Azerbaijani footballer (born 1997)

Mahir Anar oğlu Emreli is an Azerbaijani professional footballer who plays as a forward for HNL club Dinamo Zagreb and the Azerbaijan national team. Besides Dinamo Zagreb, he has played for Baku, Qarabağ, Legia Warsaw, as well as Konyaspor on loan.

The Qarabağ 2018–19 season is Qarabağ's 26th Azerbaijan Premier League season, of which they are defending champions, and will be their eleventh season under manager Gurban Gurbanov.

Mirlind Kryeziu is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Zürich. Born in Switzerland, he represents the Kosovo national team.

The 2022–23 season was the 127th season in the history of FC Zürich and their sixth consecutive season in the top flight. The club are participating in the Swiss Super League, the Swiss Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.

The Qarabağ 2022–23 season was Qarabağ's 30th Azerbaijan Premier League season and their fourteenth season under manager Gurban Gurbanov. Domestically, Qarabağ defended their Premier League, their eighth in nine years, and where knocked out of the Azerbaijan Cup by Gabala in the Quarterfinals. In European competition, Qarabağ began in the Champions League, where they reached the Playoff round before defeat to Viktoria Plzeň, meaning they dropped into the Group Stage of the Europa League. In the Europa League they finished third in their group behind SC Freiburg and Nantes, progressing to the Knockout round play-off of the Europa Conference League where they were eliminated by Gent on penalties.

References

  1. ↑ "Innocent Emeghara, coupable d'être très doué" [Innocent Emeghara, guilty of being very gifted]. Tribune de Genève (in French). 20 June 2011. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  2. ↑ "Xamax marque enfin et bat Zurich. Servette perd" [Xamax score at last and beat Zurich. Servette lose] (in French). Radio Télévision Suisse. 20 August 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  3. ↑ "Sochaux privé de réussite" [Sochaux deprived of success]. Le Figaro (in French). 10 September 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  4. ↑ "Agra ed Emeghara in bianconero, depositati i contratti" [Agra and Emeghara in white-and-blue, contracts deposited] (in Italian). A.C. Siena. 25 January 2013. Archived from the original on 2 July 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  5. ↑ "Emeghara, "serial buteur" face à la Lazio" [Emeghara, "serial scorer" against Lazio] (in French). Radio Télévision Suisse. 18 February 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  6. ↑ "Emeghara ceduto al Livorno" [Emeghara loaned to Livorno] (in Italian). A.C. Siena. 27 August 2013. Archived from the original on 28 August 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  7. ↑ "Official: Livorno sign Emeghara". Football Italia. 27 August 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  8. ↑ "Inter let lead slip in Livorno". ESPN FC. 31 March 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  9. ↑ "West Ham close to signing out-of-contract Swiss international". Brentwood Gazette. 16 September 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2014.[ permanent dead link ]
  10. ↑ "Emeghara rəsmən 'Qarabağ'da" [Emeghara joins Qarabağ] (in Azerbaijani). FK Qarabağ. 11 October 2014. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  11. ↑ "Medienberichte & Klubnews zur Rückrunde" [Media reports and club news for second part of season] (in German). FC Winterthur. 6 January 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  12. ↑ "Innocent Emeghara on trial at Hamburg". Vavel. 13 January 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  13. ↑ "Quakes sign Innocent Emeghara as third designated player". San Jose Earthquakes. 31 January 2015. Archived from the original on 1 February 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  14. ↑ "San Jose Earthquakes vs. FC Dallas match report: Blas Perez stoppage time goal gives Hoops 1–0 win". SB Nation. 7 March 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  15. ↑ ""QARABAĞ"IMIZDAN NÖVBƏTİ TRANSFER" [Last transfer from Qarabağ] (in Azerbaijani). Qarabağ FK. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2018.[ permanent dead link ]
  16. ↑ "Üç futbolçu ilə yollar ayrıldı". qarabagh.com/ (in Azerbaijani). Qarabağ fk. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  17. ↑ "FCW verpflichtet Innocent Emeghara" (in Swiss High German). FC Winterthur. 5 October 2020. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  18. ↑ "Vertrag vorzeitig aufgelöst – Innocent Emeghara verlässt den FC Winterthur". Der Landbote. 26 July 2021.
  19. ↑ "England fight back to deny Switzerland". UEFA. 4 June 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  20. ↑ "Swiss surge continues with defeat of Iceland". UEFA. 14 June 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  21. ↑ "Innocent Emeghara". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  22. ↑ "I.Emeghara". Soccerway. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  23. ↑ "Innocent Emeghara". Major League Soccer . Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  24. ↑ "Innocent EMEGHARA" (in French). Ligue 1 . Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  25. ↑ "Innocent Emeghara". European Football. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.