Ambroise Oyongo

Ambroise Oyongo

Oyongo with FC Krasnodar in 2021
Personal information
Full name	Ambroise Oyongo Bitolo
Date of birth	(1991-06-22) 22 June 1991 (age 32)
Place of birth	Ndikiniméki, Cameroon
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Left-back
Youth career
2008–2010	Moussango FC
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2010–2014	Coton Sport	123	(8)
2014	New York Red Bulls	13	(0)
2014	New York Red Bulls II	5	(0)
2015–2017	Montreal Impact	60	(2)
2018–2022	Montpellier	74	(4)
2021	→ Krasnodar (loan)	1	(0)
2021	Montpellier B	1	(0)
International career‡
2010–2011	Cameroon U20	8	(0)
2013–2022	Cameroon	50	(2)
Medal record Men's football Representing   Cameroon Africa Cup of Nations Winner 2017 Gabon 2021 Cameroon
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:10, 28 June 2022 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:34, 6 October 2019 (UTC)

Ambroise Oyongo Bitolo (born 22 June 1991) is a former Cameroonian professional footballer who played as a left-back.

Club career

Coton Sport

Ambroise Oyongo began his career with Moussango FC of Yaoundé in 2008. His play with Moussango attracted the interest of top club Coton Sport FC who signed him in July 2010. He quickly established himself at the club winning the league title in his first year with Coton Sport. In 2011, he helped the club to the league and cup double. In 2013, he won another league title and helped lead Coton Sport to the semi-finals of the 2013 CAF Champions League. ^[1]

Oyongo in action against Arsenal

New York Red Bulls

During the 2013 season, Oyongo went on trial with French side Lille and it was reported that he would be joining the Ligue 1 side during the 2014 January transfer window. ^[2] The move never materialised and in January 2014 Oyongo went on trial with New York Red Bulls. He impressed during his trial and on 7 March 2014, he officially signed with the club. ^[3] In his first season with New York, the versatile Oyongo was a key player for the club during the second half of the season as he made starts at both left-back and in midfield helping his side qualify for the league playoffs. On 30 October 2014, Oyongo assisted on Bradley Wright-Phillips winning goal in the last minute of the match helping New York defeat Sporting Kansas City and advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. ^[4]

Montreal Impact

On 27 January 2015, Oyongo was traded to Montreal Impact with Eric Alexander, an international player roster spot and allocation money for Felipe and the 1st pick in the MLS allocation ranking. ^[5]

Montpellier

Oyongo's contract expired at the end of the 2017 season, and he opted to move to Europe rather than renewing his deal with Montreal. ^[6] He signed with French club Montpellier in December 2017. ^[7]

On 22 February 2021, he moved on loan to Krasnodar in Russian Premier League until the end of the 2020–21 season. ^{[8] [9]} He made his debut for Krasnodar on 28 February 2021 in a Russian Premier League game against Ural Yekaterinburg, when he substituted injured Yevgeni Chernov in the 33rd minute. However, at half-time, Oyongo had to be substituted due to injury himself. On 4 March 2021, his agent announced that he will have to be operated on in Spain and will not be able to play for Krasnodar for the duration of the loan and will not return to the club. Krasnodar paid all of the salary due in advance at that time. ^[10]

Without club

Oyongo retired shortly after, ending his career.

International career

Oyongo played for Cameroon at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup. On 28 July 2013 he made his debut with the Cameroon senior team, starting in a 1–0 victory over Gabon at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo.

At the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, Oyongo scored his first international goal in a 1–1 draw against Mali on 20 January 2015. ^[11] He was named in Cameroon's squad for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup but was later ruled out of the tournament after suffering a ruptured patellar tendon during a 1–0 win over Morocco on 10 June. ^[12]

Career statistics

International

As of matches played on 12 July 2019 ^[13]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Cameroon	2012	0	0
	2013	1	0
	2014	5	0
	2015	9	1
	2016	6	0
	2017	9	0
	2018	4	0
	2019	7	0
Total		41	1

Scores and results list Cameroon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Oyongo goal. ^[13]

List of international goals scored by Ambroise Oyongo

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	20 January 2015	Malabo, Equatorial Guinea	Mali	1–1	1–1	2015 Africa Cup of Nations

Honours

Coton Sport

• Elite One: 2010, 2011, 2013
• Cameroon Cup: 2011

Cameroon

• Africa Cup of Nations: 2017
• Africa Cup of Nations bronze: 2021

References

1. "Coton Sport book semifinal berth". westafricanfootall.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014.
2. "Ambroise Oyongo a Lille" (in French). westafricanfootall.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014.
3. "Red Bulls Sign Ambroise Oyongo". New York Red Bulls. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
4. "Red Bulls defeat Sporting". mlsscoccer.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
5. "L'Impact effectue une transaction majeure avec les Red Bulls". 27 January 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
6. "Impact exercises options for six players". 16 November 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
7. "Cameroon's Ambroise Oyongo agrees to Montpellier switch". BBC. 23 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
8. ""КРАСНОДАР" АРЕНДОВАЛ АМБРУАЗА ОЙОНГО" (in Russian). FC Krasnodar. 22 February 2021.
9. "Official Montpellier send Ambroise Oyongo on loan to Krasnodar". getfootballnewsfrance. 22 February 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
10. "Агент Ойонго заявил о возвращении игрока из "Краснодара" в "Монпелье"" (in Russian). Sport Express. 4 March 2021.
11. "Mali 1-1 Cameroon". BBC. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
12. "Cameroon's Ambroise Oyongo ruled out of Confederations Cup". ESPN. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
13. Ambroise Oyongo at National-Football-Teams.com

External links

• Ambroise Oyongo at Soccerway
• Ambroise Oyongo at Major League Soccer
• WestAfricanFootball.com profile
• "mtnfootball profile (mtnfootball.com)". Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
• Ambroise Oyongo at National-Football-Teams.com