Onua Obasi

Onua Thomas Obasi (born 24 September 1988 in Birmingham, England) is an English footballer who plays for Utica City FC in the Major Arena Soccer League. He is a versatile player who plays left back, centre back and defensive midfielder.

Onua Obasi
Personal information
Full name Onua Thomas Obasi
Date of birth (1988-09-24) 24 September 1988
Place of birth Birmingham, England
Position(s) Defender
Club information
Current team
 Utica City
Youth career
2010 Leigh Genesis
2010–2011 Cefn Druids
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2012 Central Connecticut Blue Devils 37 (4)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012 Western Mass Pioneers 1 (0)
2012–2013 CFC Azul 14 (1)
2014–2016 Baltimore Blast (indoor) 37 (18)
2014–2015 Rochester Rhinos 44 (1)
2016–2019 Ottawa Fury 95 (2)
2019– Utica City (indoor) 17 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of May 16, 2020

Career

College and amateur

Obasi also played soccer for University of Liverpool from 2008 - 2011 before transferring to Central Connecticut State University. During his college years in England in 2010–2011, he played in the development leagues for Leigh Genesis[1] in England and Cefn Druids[2] in Wales. He was also part of the successful Bootle FC team that won the North West Counties 1st Division in 2008/09 (4 apps 1 Goal). He went on to make 36 appearances for Bootle in the 2009/10 season before moving to Leigh Genesis[3]

Obasi played two years of college soccer at Central Connecticut State University between 2011 and 2012.[4] In 2011, Obasi started all 19 games for the Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils where he scored three goals and two assists. Obasi earned First-Team North Atlantic Region and Northeast Conference first team in both 2011 and 2012 He was selected to the New England College All-Star game. He also received All-American First Team honours in 2012.

While at college, Obasi also appeared for USL PDL clubs Western Mass Pioneers and Connecticut FC Azul in 2012 and again with CFC Azul after college in 2013.[5][6][7]

Professional

Obasi signed his first professional deal with USL Pro club Rochester Rhinos on 30 January 2014.[8] In the 2014 season, he played 24 games and scored 1 goal (against the Charlotte Eagles on 16 August 2014 in a 3–1 loss.[9][10] On 14 May 2014, he also scored an over time game-winning goal against his former team, Western Mass Pioneers in the US Open Cup in a 2–1 win.[11]

In the 2015 season, he played 20 games and had 4 assists.[12] He started all 3 playoff games including the 2–1 victory in the USL Championship against Los Angeles Galaxy II. After the 2015 season, Obasi trialed with the Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer.[13]

Obasi played indoor soccer for the Baltimore Blast of the Major Arena Soccer League in the 2014–2015 season - playing 19 games, scoring 9 goals and 10 assists.[14] He was named to the league's All-Rookie team.[15]

Obasi returned to Baltimore for the 2015–2016 season, featuring in 18 of the Blast's 19 regular season games and all 6 of their playoff games.[16] Obasi scored the opening goal in the championship final in which Baltimore beat Sonora 14-13; this was Baltimore's 8th indoor championship.[17] Obasi received a 2015-16 MASL Honorable Mention alongside teammate Tony Donatelli.[18]

In January 2016, Obasi signed with the Ottawa Fury.[19]

International

Obasi began playing futsal in 2008 and it led to him being discovered for the England national futsall team.[20] He was the leading goal scorer and was voted tournament MVP in the World University Futsal Championships while representing Great Britain. During the year he had 19 appearances and 4 goals.[21]

Honors

References
  1. http://www.thefootballnetwork.net/main/s195/st162223.htm
  2. http://files.pitchero.com/leagues/468_1289598593.pdf
  3. http://www.football.mitoo.co.uk/TeamHistAll.cfm?CI=3417&TblName=Matches&LeagueCode=NWCFL2009&DivisionID=6630
  4. "Central Connecticut Blue Devils Soccer". soccerccsu.com. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  5. "United Soccer Leagues (USL)". uslsoccer.com. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  6. "United Soccer Leagues (USL)". uslsoccer.com. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  7. "United Soccer Leagues (USL)". uslsoccer.com. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  8. "rhinossoccer.com: News". rhinossoccer.com. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
  9. https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2014/08/17/united-states/mls-reserve-league/charlotte-eagles/rochester-raging-rhinos/1654697/
  10. http://www.uslsoccer.com/ViewContent.dbml?CONTENT_ID=1167666&DB_OEM_ID=32800#team.ind
  11. https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2014/05/15/united-states/us-open-cup/rochester-raging-rhinos/western-mass-pioneers/1675383/
  12. http://www.uslsoccer.com/ViewContent.dbml?CONTENT_ID=1213969&DB_OEM_ID=32800#team.ind
  13. http://www.uslsoccer.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=32800&ATCLID=210438134
  14. http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=7921049&seasonid=12864
  15. http://baltimoreblast.com/news/headlines/?article_id=531
  16. http://pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=9038962&seasonid=14692
  17. http://www.baltimoreblast.com/news/?article_id=639
  18. http://d15k3om16n459i.cloudfront.net/news_story.html?id=445540
  19. "Fury FC add USL Champion; Sign former MLS First Rounder". ottawafuryfc.com. Archived from the original on 19 January 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  20. http://www.bucs.org.uk/news.asp?section=8&itemid=4695
  21. http://www.rhinossoccer.com/team/roster/index.html?player_id=63
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