Josephat Lopaga

Last updated

Josephat Lopaga
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-08-12) 12 August 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth Baragoi, Kenya
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
Shy Football Academy
2017–2019 Gor Mahia
2019–2020 Mt Kenya United
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2020–2022 Posta Rangers
2022–2023 A.F.C. Leopards
2023 Dhofar
2023–2024 Dynamo Brest 23 (5)
2024 → Naftan Novopolotsk (loan) 12 (0)
International career
Kenya U17
Kenya U23
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 December 2024

Josephat Lopaga (born 12 August 2002) is a Kenyan professional footballer who plays as a striker. [1]

Contents

Early life

Born in Baragoi, Lopaga spent his early years in Maralal, later living as a "street kid", moving between Nyahururu, Nakuru and Nairobi. [2] He joined a homeless rehabilitation programme and began playing football. [2]

Club career

Lopaga began playing for Shy Football Academy, before signing for Gor Mahia in 2017. [2] He moved to Mt Kenya United in 2019, later signing for Posta Rangers. [2] [3]

After a spell with A.F.C. Leopards, [4] he signed for Omani club Dhofar in February 2023. [5] [6]

He signed for Belarusian club Dynamo Brest in August 2023, [7] [8] [9] scoring his first goal for the club in his second match. [10] [11] He later said he wanted to score more goals for the club. [12] He also said that his new teammate Cédric Kouadio was helping him settling in. [13]

In July 2024, he moved on loan to Naftan Novopolotsk. [14] He was released by Dynamo Brest in December 2024. [15]

International career

Lopaga has played for the Kenya under-17 and under-23 teams. [2] [13]

In June 2024, he was called-up to the Kenya senior team for the first team. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mathare Youth Sports Association</span>

Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA) is a sports development aid organization in Mathare, a collection of slums in Nairobi. In sports it focuses mainly on association football, and furthermore it is active in the field of community building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">F.C. Kariobangi Sharks</span> Kenyan football club

F.C. Kariobangi Sharks, commonly known as Sharks or K. Sharks, is a Kenyan professional football club. They rose over time from humble beginnings in Nairobi, to feature in Kenya's top league, the FKF Premier League, since the year 2017.

Joel Fameyeh is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a striker in Russia for Rubin Kazan.

Eugene Ambuchi Asike is a Kenyan international footballer who plays as a centre back for English Isthmian League club Whitehawk.

Eric Kapaito Muugi is a Kenyan footballer who plays as a striker for Tusker and the Kenya national team.

Richard Odada is a Kenyan professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Scottish Premiership side Dundee United, and the Kenya national team.

Eliot Matazo is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL Championship club Hull City.

Henry Atola Meja is a Kenyan footballer who plays for AFC Eskilstuna, on loan from AIK, and the Kenyan national team.

Ezekiel Odera is a Kenyan footballer who currently plays as a striker for Kenyan Premier League side Nairobi City Stars.

Davis Agesa Amuyunzu is a Kenyan striker formerly of Kenyan Premier League sides Nairobi City Stars, F.C. Talanta, and now in the ranks of Kenyan second-tier side MCF.

Salim Yusuf "Shittu" Abdallah, is a Kenyan footballer who plays as a defender for Kenyan Premier League side Nairobi City Stars. He formerly turned out for Bukembe Academy, Ligi Ndogo, Sofapaka, Posta Rangers, and AFC Leopards.

Paul Okatwa Odhiambo is a former Kenyan striker who until recently was the head coach at Kenyan National Super League side Nairobi United.

André Cassa Mbungo is a former Rwandan goalkeeper currently serving as the head coach of South Sudanese side Jamus FC. He holds a CAF 'A' License and is a FIFA international recognized physical trainer.

Derrick Otanga is a Kenyan striker currently in the ranks of Libyan Premier League side Alittihad Misurata SC.

Samuel Kapen is a Kenyan striker who features for Kenyan Premier League side Gor Mahia.

Collins Lusaka Sichenje is a Kenyan professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Serbian SuperLiga club Vojvodina, on loan from Swedish side AIK.

Kelvin Injili Etemesi is a Kenyan striker who turns out for Kenyan Premier League side Nairobi City Stars.

Elvis Baranga Rupia is a Kenyan professional footballer who plays as a striker for Tanzanian Premier League side Singida Black Stars and the Kenya national team.

Robinson Shikuku Asenwa is a Kenyan football striker currently playing for Kenyan Premier League side Nairobi City Stars.

Dennis Ng'ang'a is a Kenyan defender currently in the ranks of Zambian Premier League side Zanaco F.C., and the Kenya national football team.

References

  1. ↑ Josephat Lopaga at Soccerway. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "EXCLUSIVE: From a street kid to a lethal striker - this is the inspiring story of Josphat Lopaga | MozzartSportKe". www.mozzartsport.co.ke.
  3. ↑ "Lopaga shakes off bitter street life to bask in top-flight glory". The Star.
  4. ↑ "Lopaga ready to impress at AFC Leopards". The Star.
  5. ↑ "AFC Leopards center-back leaves the club, joins Middle East top club". 8 February 2023.
  6. ↑ "Kenyan duo move to Oman after getting deal with Dhofar Club | MozzartSportKe". www.mozzartsport.co.ke.
  7. ↑ "Former AFC Leopards forward joins Dynamo Brest". 11 August 2023. Archived from the original on 11 August 2023.
  8. ↑ "Former Ingwe forward joins Belarusian side Dynamo-Brest | MozzartSportKe". www.mozzartsport.co.ke.
  9. ↑ Sports, Pulse (8 August 2023). "Reformed Kenyan street boy completes move to Belarusian club after transfer saga". Pulse Sports Kenya.
  10. ↑ "Kenyan forward Lopaga scores on 2nd appearance at Brest". www.pd.co.ke. 21 August 2023.
  11. ↑ Sports, Pulse (21 August 2023). "Kenyan midfielder's debut goal in Belarus earns Dinamo Brest three crucial points". Pulse Sports Kenya.
  12. ↑ "Kenyan forward Lopaga reveals targets after 1st goal at Brest". www.pd.co.ke. 22 August 2023.
  13. 1 2 Sports, Pulse (22 August 2023). "Former AFC Leopards midfielder finally opens up on why he moved to Belarusian side Dinamo Brest". Pulse Sports Kenya.
  14. ↑ Oguda, Zachary (29 July 2024). "EXCL: Kenyan striker finds a new home in Belarus".
  15. ↑ "«Динамо-Брест» и Джосфат Лопага прекратили сотрудничество". dynamo-brest.by.
  16. ↑ "Belarus-based Lopaga delights in national team call up | MozzartSportKe". www.mozzartsport.co.ke.
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.