sport.wikisort.org - Athlete

Francis Odinaka Uzoho (born 28 October 1998) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Cypriot First Division club Omonia and the Nigeria national team.

Francis Uzoho

Uzoho with Nigeria in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Francis Odinaka Uzoho
Date of birth	(1998-10-28) 28 October 1998 (age 24)
Place of birth	Nwangele, Imo State, Nigeria
Height	1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team	Omonia
Number	23
Youth career
2013–2016	Aspire Academy
2017	Deportivo La Coruña
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2017–2018	Deportivo B	26	(0)
2017–2020	Deportivo La Coruña	2	(0)
2018–2019	→ Elche (loan)	7	(0)
2019	→ Anorthosis (loan)	3	(0)
2019–2020	→ Omonia (loan)	5	(0)
2020–2021	APOEL	19	(0)
2021–	Omonia	12	(0)
National team‡
2017–	Nigeria	26	(0)
Honours Men's football Representing  Nigeria Africa Cup of Nations 2019 Egypt
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 01:44, 29 October 2022 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:54, 14 October 2021 (UTC)

Club career

Born in Nwangele,[1] Uzoho joined the Senegal branch of Aspire Academy in 2013, aged 14;[2] initially a forward, he was converted into a goalkeeper after being deemed "too slow" at the age of 12.[3] In 2016, after impressing on a tournament in Barcelona, he joined Deportivo de La Coruña's Juvenil squad.[3]

Age rules meant that Uzoho could only become available to sign a contract with Dépor in January 2017;[4] shortly after signing his contract, he started to train with the first team.[5] Promoted to the reserve team ahead of the 2017–18 season, he made his senior debut on 10 September by starting in a 3–0 Segunda División B home win against Real Madrid Castilla.[6]

Uzoho made his first team – and La Liga – debut on 15 October 2017, starting in a 0–0 away draw against SD Eibar.[7] At the age of 18 years and 352 days, he became the youngest ever foreign goalkeeper to debut in La Liga, and the second-youngest player to appear in the league during the campaign at that point, only behind Real Madrid's Achraf Hakimi.[8][9]

On 24 August 2018, Uzoho renewed his contract for three seasons[10] and was immediately loaned to Segunda División side Elche CF for one year.[11] In February 2019 he moved on loan to Cypriot club Anorthosis Famagusta,[12] in the search for more first-team football in the run up to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.[13]

After making his debut for the club, concerns were raised about his health certificate.[14] As a result, Anorthosis Famagusta were deducted 9 points, which they appealed.[15] The club's deduction appeal was rejected, although Uzoho's appeal against his personal penalty of a one-match ban and €1,000 fine was successful.[16]

In July 2019 he returned on loan to Cyprus, this time with Omonia.[17] He played a limited number of games, due to a serious injury he suffered while playing for his national team.[18] In July 2020, Uzoho moved permanently to APOEL on a three year contract, but was released at the end of the season.

On 1 September 2021, Uzoho joined Omonia on a three-year deal,[19] as back-up to Fabiano.

On 13 October 2022, Uzoho received praise for his performance against Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Europa League. Omonia lost 1–0 to a late goal, but Uzoho made 12 saves on the night.[20] He was nominated for the Europa League Player of the Week and Save of the Day awards.[21]

International career

Uzoho represented Nigeria under-17s at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Aged only 14, he was an immediate backup to Dele Alampasu.[8][22]

In October 2017 Uzoho received his first call-up to the Nigerian senior squad.[23] He made his full international debut on 14 November, replacing Daniel Akpeyi in a 4–2 friendly win against Argentina.[24]

He was named in Nigeria's 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[25] By that time he was considered Nigeria's first-choice goalkeeper.[26]

He withdrew from the national squad in November 2018 due to injury.[27] He was a squad member at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.[28] Uzoho was in goal for Nigeria in the 3rd place match against Tunisia, which they won.[29]

In October 2019 he suffered a ligament injury in a friendly match against Brazil,[18] and underwent surgery in November 2019.[30]

On 25 December 2021, He was shortlisted in 2021 AFCON Nations Cup by caretaker coach Eguavoen as part of the 28-Man Nigeria squad.[31]

On 29 March 2022, Uzoho was in goal for Nigeria in a World Cup qualifier against Ghana. He suffered criticism for his performance, as an error on his behalf led to a goal for Ghana, and ultimately cost his team entry to the World Cup.[32] He tendered an apology, mentioning "I wanted to take my nation to Qatar but rather did the opposite".[33] National teammates and ex-internationals, such as Alex Iwobi and Vincent Enyeama, showed support for Uzoho.[34]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 14 October 2022[35]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Deportivo B	2017–18	Segunda División B	26	0	—		—		26	0
Deportivo La Coruña	2017–18	La Liga	2	0	0	0	—		2	0
Elche (loan)	2018–19	Segunda División	7	0	1	0	—		8	0
Anorthosis (loan)	2018–19	Cypriot First Division	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Omonia (loan)	2019–20	Cypriot First Division	5	0	0	0	—		5	0
APOEL	2020–21	Cypriot First Division	18	0	6	0	0	0	24	0
	2021–22		1	0	0	0	—		1	0
	Total		19	0	6	0	0	0	25	0
Omonia	2021–22	Cypriot First Division	9	0	2	0	4	0	15	0
	2022–23		1	0	0	0	2	0	3	0
	Total		10	0	2	0	6	0	18	0
Career total			72	0	9	0	6	0	87	0

International

As of match played 7 October 2021[36]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Nigeria	2017	1	0
	2018	11	0
	2019	4	0
	2020	0	0
	2021	2	0
	2022	8	0
Total		26	0

Honours

Omonia

• Cypriot Cup: 2021–22

References

External links

• Francis Uzoho at BDFutbol
• Francis Uzoho at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish)
• Francis Uzoho at Soccerway

На других языках

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[de] Francis Uzoho

Francis Odinaka Uzoho (* 28. Oktober 1998 in Nwangele, Imo) ist ein nigerianischer Fußballspieler auf der Position eines Torwarts. Seit 2017 steht er beim Primera-División-Absteiger Deportivo La Coruña mit Spielbetrieb in der Segunda División unter Vertrag. Des Weiteren tritt er auch für dessen unter dem Namen Deportivo Fabril auflaufende B-Mannschaft in Erscheinung und debütierte im Jahre 2017 in der nigerianischen A-Nationalmannschaft.

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- [en] Francis Uzoho

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[es] Francis Uzoho

Francis Odinaka Uzoho (Nwangele, Imo, Nigeria, 28 de octubre de 1998)[3] es un futbolista nigeriano, juega como guardameta y su equipo es el A. C. Omonia Nicosia de la Primera División de Chipre.

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[fr] Francis Uzoho

Francis Uzoho est un footballeur international nigérian né le 28 octobre 1998 à Nwangele. Évoluant au poste de gardien de but.

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[it] Francis Uzoho

Francis Odinaka Uzoho (Nwangele, 28 ottobre 1998) è un calciatore nigeriano, portiere dell'Omonia e della nazionale nigeriana.

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[ru] Узохо, Фрэнсис

Фрэнсис Одинака Узохо (англ. Francis Odinaka Uzoho; род. 28 октября 1998[1], Нвангеле[d], Имо) — нигерийский футболист, вратарь клуба «Омония» и сборной Нигерии. Участник чемпионата мира 2018 года.

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