Alfred Effiong

Alfred Effiong (born 29 November 1984) is a Nigeria-born Maltese footballer who plays as a forward for Maltese club Balzan.

Alfred Effiong
Personal information
Full name Alfred Effiong
Date of birth (1984-11-29) 29 November 1984
Place of birth Lagos, Nigeria
Height 5 ft 11.65 in (1.82 m)
Playing position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Balzan
Number 17
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2007 St. George's 10 (7)
2007–2008 Ħamrun Spartans 26 (10)
2008–2010 Qormi 42 (24)
2010–2011 Marsaxlokk 27 (18)
2011–2012 Valletta 26 (9)
2012–2014 Qormi 75 (35)
2015– Balzan 120 (40)
National team‡
2015– Malta 36 (4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 November 2019
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19 November 2019

Club career

On 28 June 2011, Effiong scored on his European debut for Valletta, netting the second in a 3–0 away win over Sammarinese club Tre Fiori in the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round first leg.[1]

International career

Born in Nigeria, Effiong moved to Malta in 2005 and married a local in 2010. In 2014, his club president, Redeno Apap, asked if he would apply for a Maltese passport, which was granted in March 2015.[2]

Later that month, national coach Pietro Ghedin was searching for a new striker after the suspension of Michael Mifsud.[2] Effiong made his senior international debut for Malta on 25 March, replacing Jean Paul Farrugia in the 60th minute of a 0–2 friendly defeat against Georgia at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi.[3] On 8 June, he came on for Andrew Cohen in the 60th minute of a home friendly against Lithuania, and 20 minutes later scored his first international goal to seal a 2–0 victory.[4] He scored his second national goal in a 1–1 draw against Estonia in August 2016. His third goal came from a header against Scotland in Malta's 5–1 home defeat in a World Cup qualifier on 4 September 2016.

International goals
Scores and results list Malta's goal tally first.[5]
GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.8 June 2015Ta' Qali National Stadium, Attard, Malta Lithuania2–02–0Friendly
2.6 September 2015Ta' Qali National Stadium, Attard, Malta Azerbaijan2–12–2UEFA Euro 2016 qualification
3.31 August 2016Pärnu Rannastaadion, Pärnu, Estonia Estonia1–11–1Friendly
4.4 September 2016Ta' Qali National Stadium, Attard, Malta Scotland1–11–52018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours
Valletta
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References
  1. Hindley, Martyn (28 June 2011). "Valletta in pole position after three-goal victory". UEFA. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  2. Camilleri, Valhmor (3 March 2015). "Effiong feels he needs to prove himself to national team coach". The Times of Malta. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  3. "Georgia 2–0 Malta". European Football. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  4. "Fenech, Effiong score two great goals as Malta beat Lithuania". The Times of Malta. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  5. "A. Effiong". Soccerway. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  6. "Alfred Effiong". Soccerway. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
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