Benedict Akwuegbu
Encyclopedia
Benedict Akwuegbu is a Nigeria
n football striker
.
He played for Nigeria national football team
and was a 2002 FIFA World Cup
participant.
outfit RC Lens
at the age of 17. Then he spent five years in Belgium
with KRC Harelbeke, KSV Waregem, KVK Tienen. Austria
n side Grazer AK
signed him after the 1998 season.
and Austrian Supercup
in 2000 and 2002 and the league title in 2004 with his good performance. He won the Best Forieign Player and nicknamed "Austrian Bomber" by the press. He played in 20 European games as he scored 12 including some remarkable goals. He attracted several German Bundesliga clubs like Hamburg SV and FC Kaiserslautern. However Grazer AK refused the offer from Kaiserslautern.
In a 2-1 home win against Henan Jianye on 19 May 2007. Qingdao Jonoon went on to win the match with a spectacular strike from Benedict Akwuegbu. In 39 minute, earning him a man of the match award.
Qingdao Janoon boss, Yin Tiesheng spoke very high about him and his performance in the media, Akwuegbu become one of the most consistent player in Qingdao squad.
He was a vital part in Qingdao attack throughout the campaign and notched 6 goals in 20 games. Akwuegbu had an excellent season and was favorite of Qingdao Janoon fans. Many Qingdao fans acknowledge Akwuegbu's excellent skills and strong on the ball. He was legendary in the city of Qingdao.
. He scored his first goal for the Dragons against Dorchester Town on April 5, 2010. He was released at the end of the season.
hosted by Scotland
. However he never had the chance to play as sitting on the bench in all four matches without substitution. Nigeria was beaten by eventual winner Saudi Arabia at the quarter-final stage. He also played for the U-20 national side.
In 2000, his success in Austria made him joining the Africa Cup of Nations tournament which he played his first international game against Tunisia
. With his progress in the team he was involved in the 2002 World Cup Qualifier
and scoring two goals in the process, His performance made him selected to the 2002 World Cup Final squad. He played the only World Cup game against England
.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n football striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
.
He played for Nigeria national football team
Nigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
and was a 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
participant.
Early career
Akwuegbu started his career at the age of 15 in Nigeria before moving to FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
outfit RC Lens
RC Lens
Racing Club de Lens is a French association football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, sang et or , comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their primary rivals are their northern neighbors Lille OSC, whom they contest the Derby du...
at the age of 17. Then he spent five years in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
with KRC Harelbeke, KSV Waregem, KVK Tienen. Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n side Grazer AK
Grazer AK
Grazer AK, founded 18 August 1902 as Grazer Athletik-Sport Klub , is an Austrian sports club, from the city of Graz in the federal state of Styria . The football section is one of the most traditional Austrian clubs, most successful in the decade 1995 – 2005...
signed him after the 1998 season.
Grazer AK
Grazer AK won the Austrian CupAustrian Cup
The Austrian Cup, in German: ÖFB-Cup is an annual football competition held by the Austrian Football Association, the ÖFB.It has been held since 1919, with the exception of the time of the Anschluss between 1939 and 1945 and the period between 1950 and 1958 when the competition was deemed of...
and Austrian Supercup
Austrian Supercup
The Austrian Supercup was a football competition held annually from 1986 until 2004 between the winners of the Austrian Bundesliga and the Austrian Cup.-Winners of Austrian Supercup:*1986: SK Rapid Wien...
in 2000 and 2002 and the league title in 2004 with his good performance. He won the Best Forieign Player and nicknamed "Austrian Bomber" by the press. He played in 20 European games as he scored 12 including some remarkable goals. He attracted several German Bundesliga clubs like Hamburg SV and FC Kaiserslautern. However Grazer AK refused the offer from Kaiserslautern.
Qingdao Janoon
In April 2007, Akwuegbu was signed by Qingdao Jonoon. He scored his first goal for Qingdao on 13 May 2007, an 84 minute equalizer in 3-2 lose away at shanghai schenhua.In a 2-1 home win against Henan Jianye on 19 May 2007. Qingdao Jonoon went on to win the match with a spectacular strike from Benedict Akwuegbu. In 39 minute, earning him a man of the match award.
Qingdao Janoon boss, Yin Tiesheng spoke very high about him and his performance in the media, Akwuegbu become one of the most consistent player in Qingdao squad.
He was a vital part in Qingdao attack throughout the campaign and notched 6 goals in 20 games. Akwuegbu had an excellent season and was favorite of Qingdao Janoon fans. Many Qingdao fans acknowledge Akwuegbu's excellent skills and strong on the ball. He was legendary in the city of Qingdao.
Basingstoke Town
Benedict then joined Basingstoke Town in the Conference SouthConference South
Conference South is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National...
. He scored his first goal for the Dragons against Dorchester Town on April 5, 2010. He was released at the end of the season.
International career
Akwuegbu was selected to U-16 World Cup Final squad in 19891989 FIFA U-16 World Championship
The FIFA U-16 World Championship 1989 was held in the Scottish cities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Motherwell, Aberdeen, and Dundee between 10 June and 24 June 1989...
hosted by Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. However he never had the chance to play as sitting on the bench in all four matches without substitution. Nigeria was beaten by eventual winner Saudi Arabia at the quarter-final stage. He also played for the U-20 national side.
In 2000, his success in Austria made him joining the Africa Cup of Nations tournament which he played his first international game against Tunisia
Tunisia national football team
The Tunisia national football team , nicknamed Les Aigles de Carthage , is the national team of Tunisia and is controlled by the Fédération Tunisienne de Football. They have qualified for four FIFA World Cups, the first one in 1978, but have yet to make it out of the first round...
. With his progress in the team he was involved in the 2002 World Cup Qualifier
2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
A total of 199 teams entered the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for a total of 32 spots in the final tournament. and , as the co-hosts, and , as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 29 spots open for competition....
and scoring two goals in the process, His performance made him selected to the 2002 World Cup Final squad. He played the only World Cup game against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
.
Grazer AK
- Austrian BundesligaAustrian BundesligaThe Austrian Football Bundesliga is the highest-ranking national league club competition in Austrian football. It is the competition which decides the Austrian national football champions, as well the country's entrants for the various European cups run by UEFA.The Austrian Bundesliga, which began...
- Austrian CupAustrian CupThe Austrian Cup, in German: ÖFB-Cup is an annual football competition held by the Austrian Football Association, the ÖFB.It has been held since 1919, with the exception of the time of the Anschluss between 1939 and 1945 and the period between 1950 and 1958 when the competition was deemed of...
- Winner: 2000, 2002
- Austrian SupercupAustrian SupercupThe Austrian Supercup was a football competition held annually from 1986 until 2004 between the winners of the Austrian Bundesliga and the Austrian Cup.-Winners of Austrian Supercup:*1986: SK Rapid Wien...
- Winner: 2000, 2002
International
- Africa Cup of Nations
- Runner-up: 20002000 African Cup of NationsThe 2000 African Cup of Nations was the 22nd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the association football championship of Africa . It was co-hosted by Ghana and Nigeria, who jointly replaced Zimbabwe as host. Just like in 1998, the field of sixteen teams was split into four groups of four...
- Runner-up: 2000
External links
- http://www.sinosoc.com/match/playerDetail.asp?id=1163
- http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_worldcup.asp?HeroID=22890
- http://www.footballplus.com/players/16841/Benedict-Akwuegbu.html
- http://old.hki.uni-koeln.de/studium/oldPS/ws0001/obiora/players_profile.html
- http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=3991/index.html