Mohamad Awata (born July 10, 1993) is a Syrian footballer who plays as a winger or forward for German club SV Heimstetten.[4]

Mohamad Awata
Personal information
Date of birth (1993-07-10) July 10, 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth Damascus, Syria
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Winger, forward[1]
Team information
Current team
SV Heimstetten
Number 70
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
0000–2014 Al-Wahda
2017–2018 1860 Munich II 36 (10)
2017–2018 1860 Munich 2 (1)
2018 Al-Jazeera Club 2 (0)
2019 SV Heimstetten 13 (4)
2019–2020 Schweinfurt 05 17 (0)
2020– SV Heimstetten 3 (2)
International career
Syria U21[2]
Syria U23[3]
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:58, 28 June 2021 (UTC)

Playing career

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Awata turned professional in his home country at the age of 16.[2] As a member of Al-Wahda, a Premier League club in his native Damascus, he won the 2014 league title. He also made one appearance at the 2013 AFC Cup during a qualifying play-off match against Al-Ahli Taizz.

However, in the summer of 2016, he was forced to flee his country due to the raging civil war, in which his mother and uncle were killed when his house was bombed.[5] He travelled to Turkey by land, then to Greece by sea, eventually settling in Germany. While in Stuttgart, he was allowed to train with SV Sillenbuch, a local amateur side.[6]

In the summer of 2016, a friend of his recommended him to the coach of 1860 Munich, Daniel Bierofka, who welcomed him onto the team with open arms after an impressive tryout.[6][7] It took the DFB nine months to clear him to play, during which he trained strictly with the under-21 squad.[8] After obtaining a special permit, he was able to sign an official contract with the club in January 2017.[6] He made his debut with the reserve team two months later, during a 1–0 Regionalliga win against Memmingen.[9][10] He made seven total appearances that season,[11] but failed to score in any.

The first team was relegated from 2. Bundesliga, and failed to obtain a license to play in 3. Liga for the 2017–18 season, forcing them to compete in Regionalliga. Bierofka was moved up to coach the first team, and Awata was among the dozen players he brought up with him.[12] He made his first-team debut on September 23, replacing Markus Ziereis in the late minutes of a win against Unterföhring. He scored his first goal in his second match, a 4–1 victory over Bayreuth on the final matchday of the season. He also added two assists as Munich finished as league champions and earned promotion into the 3. Liga.[13][14] For his goal-scoring celebration, he tore off his shirt and kissed the running track, immediately earning him a yellow card.[15]

That same season, he also made 29 appearances for the reserve team (now playing in the fifth-tier Bayernliga), with all but one as a part of the starting lineup. He led his team in scoring with 10 goals, with 8 of them coming in the first 12 matches.[16]

In August 2018, Awata signed with Jordanian Pro League club Al-Jazeera Club.[17] He made one appearance at the 2018 AFC Cup during a knockout stage match against Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in September.[18]

Honours

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Club

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Al-Wahda

1860 Munich

References

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  1. ^ Mohamad Awata at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ a b "Awata: Sein langer Weg als Flüchtling zu 1860" (in German). Tz. July 1, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  3. ^ ""Werde 60 nie vergessen" - Awatas langer Weg zum Glück" (in German). Tz. September 21, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  4. ^ "Syria - M. Awata - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  5. ^ "Flucht vor Bomben, Neuanfang bei 1860" (in German). OVB Heimatzeitungen. June 30, 2017. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  6. ^ a b c Leischwitz, Christoph (November 1, 2017). "Aus dem Bürgerkrieg ins Grünwalder Stadion" (in German). Süddeutsche Zeitung. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  7. ^ Eicher, Matthias (June 30, 2017). "1860-Spieler Awata: Sein dramatisches Leben" (in German). Abendzeitung. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  8. ^ Griss, Oliver; Ruiz, Philippe (March 3, 2017). "Kriegsflüchtling Awata spielt für 1860: "Das ist kein Mediengag!"" (in German). dieblaue24.com. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  9. ^ "AUSWÄRTSSIEG BEI AWATA-DEBÜT" (in German). ama-lion.com. March 2, 2017. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  10. ^ Eicher, Matthias (March 10, 2017). "U21: Syrischer Flüchtling kickt bei der Löwenjugend" (in German). Abendzeitung. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  11. ^ "Awata zeigt den 1860-Profis, dass ihr Leben nicht selbstverständlich ist" (in German). Süddeutsche Zeitung. November 1, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  12. ^ "DIE WEISS-BLAUE TRANSFERLISTE" (Press release) (in German). TSV 1860 Munich. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  13. ^ Gross, Thomas (May 13, 2018). "Flüchtling Awata macht Löwen-Sieg klar" (in German). Bild. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  14. ^ "Ein Tor, zwei Assists – Kriegsflüchtling Awata im sportlichen Gefühlsrausch" (in German). OVB Heimatzeitungen. May 14, 2018. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  15. ^ Leischwitz, Christoph (May 13, 2018). "Schongang vor der Vorbereitung" (in German). Süddeutsche Zeitung. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  16. ^ "Mohamad Awata » Bayernliga Süd 2017/2018" (in German). weltfussball.de. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  17. ^ "Ex-Löwe Mohamad Awata wechselt nach Jordanien" (in German). Löwen Magazin. August 13, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  18. ^ Tan, Gabriel (September 19, 2018). "Hammadi Ahmad hands Air Force advantage in West Zone final". Fox Sports Asia. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
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