Joseph Akpala

Joseph Eneojo Akpala (born 24 August 1986) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a striker for KV Oostende.

Joseph Akpala
Akpala with Karabükspor in October 2013
Personal information
Full name Joseph Eneojo Akpala[1]
Date of birth (1986-08-24) 24 August 1986
Place of birth Jos, Nigeria
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 KV Oostende
Number 15
Youth career
1999–2002 Pepsi Football Academy
2003–2005 Bendel United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Bendel Insurance 19 (13)
2006–2008 Charleroi 61 (24)
2008–2012 Club Brugge 105 (49)
2012–2014 Werder Bremen 21 (1)
2013–2014 → Karabükspor (loan) 11 (8)
2014–2015 Karabükspor 25 (7)
2015–2018 KV Oostende 62 (12)
2018–2019 Al-Faisaly 14 (5)
2019– KV Oostende 6 (1)
National team‡
2008– Nigeria 13 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14:20, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19:29, 23 June 2013 (UTC)

Club career

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]

International career

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.[5]

He was selected for Nigeria's squad at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.[6]

Career statistics
As of match played on 18 July 2018[7][8]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Charleroi2005–06Belgian First Division 8282
2006–07 224224
2007–08 31183118
Total 61246124
Club Brugge2008–09Belgian First Division 3215006[lower-alpha 1]1–3816
2009–10Belgian Pro League 2573111[lower-alpha 1]36[lower-alpha 2]14512
2010–11 184003[lower-alpha 1]010[lower-alpha 2]3317
2011–12 27131011[lower-alpha 1]79[lower-alpha 2]24822
2012–13 30002[lower-alpha 3]0–50
Total 1053941331125616757
Werder Bremen2012–13Bundesliga 2110000–211
Kardemir Karabükspor (loan)2013–14Süper Lig 1143200–146
Kardemir Karabükspor2014–15Süper Lig 254612[lower-alpha 1]0–335
KV Oostende2015–16Belgian Pro League 26510–9[lower-alpha 2]2367
2016–17Belgian First Division A 9130–9[lower-alpha 2]3214
2017–18 276202[lower-alpha 1]09[lower-alpha 2]3389
Total 621260202789720
Career total 2858419437115214393113
  1. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. Appearances in Belgian Pro League playoffs
  3. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
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References
  1. "fcclop_neutral.pdf" (PDF). FIFA.com. 7 June 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. "Joseph Akpala Goal Sees Nigeria Shock France". goal.com. 2 June 2009. Archived from the original on 14 November 2015.
  6. "Nigeria to take new-look squad to Confederations Cup". BBC Sport. 9 June 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  7. "Joseph Akpala » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  8. Joseph Akpala at Soccerway. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
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