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Joseph Akpala

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Joseph Eneojo Akpala (born 24 August 1986) is a Nigerian football manager and former professional footballer who played as a forward. Since 2022, Akpala has been assistant coach at Kortrijk, taking over as caretaker coach for one match in September 2023, in between the dismissal of Edward Still and the appointment of Glen De Boeck, and taking the reins again following De Boeck's sacking in November 2023.

Joseph Akpala
Akpala with Karabükspor in 2013
Personal information
Full name Joseph Eneojo Akpala[1]
Date of birth (1986-08-24) 24 August 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth Jos, Nigeria
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1997–2002 Pepsi Football Academy
2003–2004 Bendel United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005 Bendel Insurance 19 (13)
2006–2008 Charleroi 61 (24)
2008–2012 Club Brugge 105 (39)
2012–2014 Werder Bremen 21 (1)
2013–2014 → Karabükspor (loan) 11 (4)
2014–2015 Karabükspor 25 (4)
2015–2018 KV Oostende 62 (12)
2018–2019 Al-Faisaly 14 (2)
2019–2020 KV Oostende 6 (1)
2021 Dinamo București 1 (0)
Total 325 (90)
International career
2005–2006 Nigeria U20 23 (10)
2008–2013 Nigeria 9 (1)
Managerial career
2023 Kortrijk (caretaker, two spells)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Akpala is a product of the Pepsi Football Academy in Lagos. His first professional contract came in April 2003 with Bendel United Football Club, a Division One club in Benin City. He later joined Bendel Insurance FC, Benin City in the Premier Division of the Nigerian Professional League, in February 2005. He was to finish as joint top scorer with 13 goals in 19 games.

Subsequently, Akpala was signed by the Royal Charleroi S.C. of Belgian Jupiler Pro League in January 2006. He wore the number 27 jersey. He had a very successful campaign in 2007–08 as he topped the scorers chart with 18 goals. On 18 July 2008, Akpala joined Club Brugge signing a contract until 2013.

On 22 August 2012, Bundesliga club Werder Bremen signed Akpala after facing competition from West Ham United and Celtic. On 19 August 2013, Akpala began a week-long trial with English Championship side Reading.[2]

On 3 September 2013, Akpala signed for Turkish Karabükspor on a season loan.[3] In 2014 the deal was made permanent and he left Bremen for good.

However, only after another year, in July 2015, he returned to Belgium, signing for K.V. Oostende on a three-year contract.[4]

In April 2021, he joined Romanian club Dinamo București, signing a contract until the end of the 2020-21 season.[5]

International career

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Akpala made his debut for Nigeria against South Africa on 6 September 2008. In June 2009, he scored his first goal for Nigeria in a 1–0 away win against France in Saint-Étienne.[6]

He was selected for Nigeria's squad at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.[7]

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[8][9][10]
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Bendel Insurance 2005 Nigeria Professional Football League 19 13 19 13
Charleroi 2005–06 Belgian First Division 8 2 8 2
2006–07 22 4 22 4
2007–08 31 18 31 18
Total 61 24 61 24
Club Brugge 2008–09 Belgian First Division 32 15 0 0 6[a] 1 – 38 16
2009–10 Belgian Pro League 25 7 3 1 11[a] 3 6[b] 1 45 12
2010–11 18 4 0 0 3[a] 0 10[b] 3 31 7
2011–12 27 13 1 0 11[a] 7 9[b] 2 48 22
2012–13 3 0 0 0 2[c] 0 – 5 0
Total 105 39 4 1 33 11 25 6 167 57
Werder Bremen 2012–13 Bundesliga 21 1 0 0 0 0 – 21 1
Kardemir Karabükspor (loan) 2013–14 Süper Lig 11 4 3 2 0 0 – 14 6
Kardemir Karabükspor 2014–15 Süper Lig 25 4 6 1 2[a] 0 – 33 5
KV Oostende 2015–16 Belgian Pro League 26 5 1 0 – 9[b] 2 36 7
2016–17 Belgian First Division A 9 1 3 0 – 9[b] 3 21 4
2017–18 27 6 2 0 2[a] 0 9[b] 3 38 9
Total 62 12 6 0 2 0 27 8 97 20
Al Faisaly 2018–19 Saudi Pro League 14 2 14 2
KV Oostende 2019–20 Belgian First Division A 6 1 1 0 – 0 0 7 1
Dinamo București 2020–21 Liga I 1 0 0 0 – – 1 0
Career total 325 100 20 4 37 11 52 14 434 129
  1. ^ a b c d e f Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ a b c d e f Appearances in Belgian Pro League playoffs
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year[10]
National team Year Apps Goals
Nigeria 2008 3 0
2009 2 1
2010 1 0
2011 0 0
2012 0 0
2013 3 0
Total 9 1
Score and result list Nigeria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after Akpala goal.
International goal scored by Joseph Akpala
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 2 June 2009 Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne, France   France 1–0 1–0 Friendly

Honours

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KV Oostende

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "fcclop_neutral.pdf" (PDF). FIFA.com. 7 June 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  2. ^ Watts, Charles (19 August 2013). "Reading to take a look at Nigerian international striker Akpala". getreading.co.uk. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  3. ^ Okeleji, Oluwashina (5 September 2013). "Akpala leaves Bremen for more football in Turkey". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  4. ^ "KV Oostende strikt Joseph Akpala" (in Dutch). Het Nieuwsblad. 6 July 2015. Archived from the original on 14 November 2015.
  5. ^ "TRANSFER. Joseph Akpala la Dinamo București" (in Romanian). dinamo1948.club. 7 April 2021.
  6. ^ "Joseph Akpala Goal Sees Nigeria Shock France". goal.com. 2 June 2009. Archived from the original on 6 June 2009.
  7. ^ "Nigeria to take new-look squad to Confederations Cup". BBC Sport. 9 June 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  8. ^ "Joseph Akpala » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  9. ^ Joseph Akpala at Soccerway. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  10. ^ a b "Akpala, Joseph". National Football Teams. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
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