Karifa Yao (born September 28, 2000) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a defender for CF Montréal.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Karifa Yao | ||
| Date of birth | (2000-09-28) September 28, 2000 (age 22) | ||
| Place of birth | Montreal, Quebec, Canada | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | CF Montréal | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 0000–2017 | Étoiles de l’Est | ||
| 2017–2019 | Montreal Impact | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019– | CF Montréal[lower-alpha 1] | 2 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | → Cavalry FC (loan) | 49 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of November 8, 2022 | |||
Yao joined the Montreal Impact Academy in 2017, after previously playing with amateur side Étoiles de l’Est.[1] On June 4, 2019, Yao signed a homegrown contract with Montreal Impact.[2] He made his professional debut on September 20, 2020, appearing as a 53rd-minute substitute during a 4–1 loss to Philadelphia Union.[3]
On February 3, 2021, Yao went on a season-long loan to Canadian Premier League side Cavalry FC.[4] He made his debut for Cavalry on June 30 against Atlético Ottawa, starting in a 4-1 victory. On November 20, Yao scored his first professional goal against Pacific FC, netting the equalizer in their 2021 CPL season play-off semi-final, which ultimately ended in a 2-1 defeat for Cavalry.[5] After the 2021 season, Cavalry announced that Yao would leave the club at the end of his loan spell, and CF Montréal would announce that they would exercise the option on Yao's contract for 2022.[6][7]
On March 18, 2022, Yao returned to Cavalry FC on loan.[8] Cavalry would announce that Yao would return to Montreal upon completion of his loan at the end the 2022 season.[9]
Yao was born in Montreal, Quebec to an Ivorian father and a Senegalese mother.[1]
Cavalry FC – current squad | |
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