Ike Opara
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Ikenna Martin Opara[1] | ||
Date of birth | February 21, 1989 | ||
Place of birth | Durham, North Carolina, United States | ||
Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
Playing position | Centre Back | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Sporting Kansas City | ||
Number | 3 | ||
College career | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2007–2009 | Wake Forest Demon Deacons | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2008–2009 | Cary Clarets | 13 | (0) |
2010–2012 | San Jose Earthquakes | 35 | (3) |
2013– | Sporting Kansas City | 108 | (11) |
National team‡ | |||
2009 | United States U20 | 7 | (0) |
2012 | United States U23 | 4 | (0) |
2018– | United States | 1 | (0) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of June 3, 2018 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of January 28, 2018 |
Ikenna Martin "Ike" Opara (/oʊˈpɑːrə/;born February 21, 1989) is an American soccer player who currently plays as a defender for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer.
Career
College and amateur
Opara played college soccer at Wake Forest University from 2007 to 2009 where he appeared in 65 games scoring nine goals and adding three assists. He was a member of Wake Forest's 2007 NCAA College Cup Championship team. He was named ACC Defensive Player of the year in 2008 and 2009.
During his college years Opara also played two seasons for Cary Clarets[2] in the USL Premier Development League.[3][4]
Professional
Early Career
Opara was drafted in the first round (3rd overall) of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft by San Jose Earthquakes.[5]
He made his professional debut on March 27, 2010, in San Jose's opening game of the 2010 MLS season against Real Salt Lake,[6] and scored his first professional career goal - an away match winner - against Chicago Fire on April 10, 2010.[7]
Sporting KC
Opara was traded to Sporting Kansas City from San Jose on December 12, 2012 for Kansas City's natural second round selection in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft.[8]
Opara made his league debut for SKC on March 23, 2013 in a 0-0 away draw with the New England Revolution.[9] He scored his first league goal for the club about four months after his debut, in a 2-1 away win over Real Salt Lake on July 20, 2013. His goal, scored in the 96th minute, won the match for Sporting.[10] Although he was on the bench, Opara and SKC won the 2013 MLS Cup over Real Salt Lake on penalties.
Opara would go onto establish himself as a regular, solidifying one the top defenses over the next few seasons, alongside his central back partner Matt Besler, converted right back Graham Zusi and left back Seth Sinovic all forming one of the top MLS defenses. This group ended up winning the 2015and 2017 U.S. Open Cups alongside their stellar keeper, Tim Melia. On November 10, 2017, Opara won the MLS Defender of the Year Award[11] and was also selected to the MLS Best XI for his spectacular performances during the 2017 MLS season, joining his fellow SKC player, goalie Tim Melia, on the list.
National Team
Opara was selected to the United States Men's National Team on January 8, 2018.[12]After attending the January camp for the national team, he played the full 90 minutes in a friendly versus Bosnia and Herzogvina, his only cap to date.
Hono
Team
- MLS Eastern Conference Championship: 2013
- MLS Cup: 2013
- U.S. Open Cup: 2015, 2017
Individual
- MLS Best XI: 2017[13]
- MLS Defender of the Year: 2017 [14]
References
- ↑ "List of Players — 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
- ↑ The club was known as the Cary RailHawks U23's in 2008
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 7, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 10, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
- ↑ 2010 MLS SuperDraft Archived January 19, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ CBC News https://web.archive.org/web/20110721224816/http://stats.cbc.ca/mls/boxscore.asp?gamecode=2010032711&season=2010-1. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Missing or empty
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(help) - ↑ "Rookie Opara Scores First MLS Goal". April 10, 2010.
- ↑ "Sporting Kansas City swap draft pick for defender Opara". December 12, 2012.
- ↑ "New England Revolution vs. Sporting Kansas City – 23 March 2013 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
- ↑ "Real Salt Lake vs. Sporting KC – 20 July 2013 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
- ↑ "Sporting Kansas City's Ike Opara wins 2017 MLS Defender of the Year award". MLSSoccer. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ↑ "Sporting KC defender Ike Opara selected to U.S. Men's National Team for January Camp". Sporting Kansas City. January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ↑ "2017 MLS Best XI revealed: Who was the best in 2017?". MLS Soccer. November 30, 2017.
- ↑ "Sporting Kansas City's Ike Opara wins 2017 MLS Defender of the Year award". MLS Soccer. Retrieved March 12, 2018.