Benjamin Onwuachi
Benjamin Onwuachi (born 9 April 1984 in Lagos) is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a striker for Italian club USD Nerostellati 1910. Onwuachi started his career in the youth ranks of Reggiana. He continued in the academies of Juventus where he didn't manage to establish himself in the first team. He then moved to Belgium to play for Standard Liège. After a season in Belgium he moved to Greece in 2006, where he played for several clubs having also spells in Albania and Cyprus.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 9 April 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Lagos, Nigeria | ||
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | USD Nerostellati | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2003 | Reggiana | ||
| 2003–2004 | Juventus | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2005 | Juventus | 2 | (1) |
| 2004–2005 | → Salernitana (loan) | 16 | (4) |
| 2005–2006 | Standard Liège | 0 | (0) |
| 2006–2008 | Ionikos | 41 | (7) |
| 2007 | → KF Tirana (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | → APOEL (loan) | 24 | (8) |
| 2009–2011 | AO Kavala | 55 | (20) |
| 2011 | AEL Limassol | 10 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Panetolikos | 9 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Skoda Xanthi | 22 | (6) |
| 2013–2014 | Iraklis | 21 | (3) |
| 2014 | Oțelul Galați | 2 | (0) |
| 2014 | Salam Zgharta | 0 | (0) |
| 2015 | Panserraikos | 0 | (0) |
| 2016 | Ionikos | 0 | (0) |
| 2016 | Aiginiakos | 6 | (0) |
| 2017 | RFC Banneux | ? | (?) |
| 2017– | USD Nerostellati | 7 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17 February 2018 | |||
Club career
He began his career in Reggiana academies in Italy in 2002. In 2003, he played only a game scoring one goal for Juventus F.C.Juventus (he was purchased by Juventus for €420,000[1]). In the 2004–2005 season he went on loan to Salernitana where he played 18 games and scored 6 goals. The 2005–06 season he signed a 2-year deal with Belgian side Standard Liège but failed to play a single match.
Ionikos
The 2006–07 season, he went to Greece and joined the team at Nikaia of Ionikos. He noted 42 participations and had 7 goals. That same season Ionikos fell in the Second National Division of Greece, Beta Ethniki 2007-08, and he decided to leave the club. The administration of Ionikos did not agree with this, but unfortunately they did not manage to change his decision.
In October 2007, he returned to Nikaia, at Ionikos, at a point where the club campaigned for a promotion in the Super League Greece. That year he played in 27 games and had 14 goals, so that he ranked 3rd in the scorerlist of the division! Unfortunately the club did not achieve promotion to the first division. In the match against PAS Giannena which Ionikos won 4–1, Onwuachi scored 2 goals.
APOEL
The next year the budget of Ionikos fell and in July 2008, Onwuachi went on loan to APOEL. For APOEL he played in 23 games in the championship and scored 8 goals helping the team to win the Cypriot First Division and the Super Cup of season 2008–09. In May 2009, the player and the chairman of APOEL, Phivos Erotokritou, did not agree on signing a new contract and Onwuachi returned to Greece to Ionikos.
Kavala
On 20 August 2009, he signed a 4-years contract with the newly promoted in Super League Greece team of Kavala. His first season with his new team, was excellent because he became 4th in top scorers of Super League Greece, scoring 10 goals. In August 2011, FIFA canceled his contract with the club after they failed to pay his salary for two consecutive months.[2]
AEL Limassol
On 25 August 2011, he signed with AEL Limassol in Cyprus,[3] but he was released from the club in January 2012.
Panetolikos
On 26 January 2012, he returned to Greece and signed a 6-month contract with Panetolikos.[4] On 26 April 2012, after the conclusion of the season, Onwuachi and Panetolikos parted their ways, as he couldn't fit into the team.[5][6]
Statistics
Last updated 1 June 2012
| Season | Club | Competition | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003/04 | Juventus | Serie A | 0 | 0 |
| 2004/05 | Salernitana | Serie B | 15 | 4 |
| 2005/06 | Standard Liège | Jupiler League | 0 | 0 |
| 2005/06 | Ionikos | Greek Super League | 13 | 3 |
| 2006/07 | Ionikos | Greek Super League | 27 | 3 |
| 2007/08 | Ionikos | Beta Ethniki | ? | 14 |
| 2008/09 | APOEL | Cypriot First Division | 24 | 8 |
| 2009/10 | AO Kavala | Greek Super League | 28 | 10 |
| 2010/11 | AO Kavala | Greek Super League | 27 | 10 |
| 2011 | AEL Limassol | Cypriot First Division | 10 | 0 |
| 2012 | Panetolikos | Greek Super League | 9 | 0 |
| 2012/13 | Skoda Xanthi | Greek Super League | 22 | 6 |
| 2013/14 | Iraklis | Greek Football League | 21 | 3 |
References
- "Reports and Financial Statements at 30 June 2005" (PDF). Juventus FC. 25 October 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
- "Onwuachi cleared to quit Kavala". BBC News.
- "AEL left the best for the end". Sigma Live. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
- http://www.panetolikos.gr/archives/news/item/2406-ypegrapse-onwuathsi.html%5B%5D
- "Camara and Onwuachi leave Panetolikos". panetolikos.gr. 26 April 2012.
- "Απέκτησε Ονουάτσι η Ξάνθη! (Xanthi got Onwuachi!)" (in Greek). SentraGoal. 6 June 2012. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013.
- "Στον ΗΡΑΚΛΗ ο Benjamin Onwuachi" (in Greek). Iraklis FC official website. 19 July 2013. Archived from the original on 22 July 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- Τραγικός αμυντικά Ηρακλής απογοήτευσε στην Καβάλα (in Greek). BleArena.gr. 30 September 2013. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
- Τρίτη θέση και η αντεπίθεση συνεχίζεται... (in Greek). BleArena.gr. 13 January 2014. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
External links
- Benjamin Onwuachi at TuttoCalciatori.net (in Italian)