Kofi Opare

Kofi Opare (born October 12, 1990) is a Ghanaian footballer who plays as a defender. He has previously appeared for Michigan Bucks, Detroit City, LA Galaxy, D.C. United, and Colorado Rapids.

Kofi Opare
Opare playing for Michigan in 2011
Personal information
Date of birth (1990-10-12) October 12, 1990
Place of birth Mampong, Ashanti, Ghana
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position(s) Defender
Youth career
2007–2008 St. Catharine's Concord Gunners
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2012 Michigan Wolverines 76 (6)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2012 Michigan Bucks 6 (0)
2012 Detroit City 4 (0)
2013–2014 LA Galaxy 12 (1)
2014 → LA Galaxy II (loan) 5 (0)
2014–2018 D.C. United 65 (3)
2019 Colorado Rapids 3 (0)
2019 → Colorado Springs Switchbacks (loan) 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 April 2019

Early life

Opare was born on October 12, 1990, in Mampong, Ghana. His family lived in Pretoria, South Africa and Newark, New Jersey, United States before settling in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.[1]

Career

College and amateur

After spending his youth career with St. Catharines Concord Gunners, Opare committed to the University of Michigan on March 4, 2009, where he would spend all four years of his college career.[2] In his freshman year with the Wolverines, Opare made 14 appearances and scored his first collegiate goal on September 11 in a 3–0 victory over Wright State.[3] He also went on to be named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team.[4] In 2010, he made 25 appearances and help lead Michigan to the College Cup semi-final where they would fall 2–1 to the eventual champion Akron Zips.[5] In 2011, Opare started all 20 games for the Wolverines and finished the year with two goals and one assist and was also named All-Big Ten Second Team.[6] In his final season with Michigan, Opare made 17 appearances and finished the year with three goals.

During his time in college, Opare also played for Michigan Bucks in the USL Premier Development League[7][8] and for Detroit City in the National Premier Soccer League.[9]

Professional

On January 17, 2013, Opare was selected in the second round (24th overall) of the 2013 MLS SuperDraft by Los Angeles Galaxy.[10] He signed his first professional contract with the club on March 11.[11] On August 20, Opare made his professional debut for the club in a 2–0 victory over Costa Rican side Cartaginés in the CONCACAF Champions League.[12]

Opare was traded to D.C. United in July 2014 with a second-round pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft in exchange for a swap in places in the MLS allocation order.[13] He scored his first goal for United on May 13, 2015, against Orlando City.[14] Opare stayed with D.C. through the 2018 season, at which time the club declined his 2019 contract option.[15]

On February 25, 2019, Opare joined Colorado Rapids.[16] His contract option was declined by the Rapids for the 2020 season.[17]

International

Opare was called up to a training camp in Trinidad and Tobago with the U.S. U-20 national team by Thomas Rongen in January 2009 ahead of the 2009 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.[18] During the camp, the U.S played against the Trinidad U-17 team.

However, the then 18-year-old Opare was not called up to CONCACAF U-20 Championship roster as he was not eligible to play. In May 2008 FIFA had updated their regulations with immediate effect and required that players reside "continuously for at least five years after reaching the age of 18 on the territory of the relevant Association" to become eligible to play for a national team in a competitive game.[19] It was a measure put in place by FIFA to prevent countries offering citizenship to talented footballers and allowing them to play for the national team immediately despite not having any ties to the country.

The change in regulations meant that despite living in Ontario for four years as a teenager, Opare would not be eligible to represent Canada irrespective of holding citizenship unless he lives there for five years after the age of 18,[20] Opare could however represent U.S. in competitive football as he meets those requirements for the U.S. Opare is also eligible to play for Ghana, the nation where he was born.

Personal

Opare holds both U.S. and Canadian citizenship.[21]

Career statistics
As of April 20, 2019[21][22]
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Michigan Bucks 2010[7] PDL 10––0010
2011[8] 40––1[lower-alpha 1]050
2012[23] 1000–001+0+
Total 600+0+00107+0+
Detroit City 2012[9] NPSL 40––0040
LA Galaxy 2013 MLS 61002[lower-alpha 2]02[lower-alpha 3]0101
2014 6010000070
Total 121102020171
LA Galaxy II (loan) 2014 USL Pro 5000–0050
D.C. United 2014 MLS 00004[lower-alpha 2]00040
2015 181214[lower-alpha 2]22[lower-alpha 3]0264
2016 100100000110
2017 26210––272
2018 11000–00110
Total 653418220796
Colorado Rapids 2019 MLS 3000–0030
Colorado Springs Switchbacks (loan) 2019 USL Championship 2000––20
Career total 9745110250117+7+
  1. Appearance in the PDL playoffs
  2. Appearances in the CONCACAF Champions League
  3. Appearances in the MLS Cup Playoffs

References
  1. Serrano, Adam (January 29, 2013). "From Ghana to The Home Depot Center: Kofi Opare's journey to MLS". LAGalaxy.com. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  2. "Wolverines Add Nine Student-Athletes to 2009 Roster". MGoBlue. University of Michigan. March 4, 2009. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  3. "Second-Half Barrage Gives Michigan Home Win Over Wright State". MGoBlue. University of Michigan. September 11, 2009. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  4. "Wolverines Land Five on All-Big Ten Teams". MGoBlue. University of Michigan. November 12, 2009. Archived from the original on September 1, 2010. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  5. "Wolverines Fall One Game Short of NCAA Title Shot, Lose to No. 2 Akron". MGoBlue. University of Michigan. December 10, 2010. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  6. "Alashe, Opare on All-Big Ten Second Team, Arnone Voted All-Freshman". MGoBlue. University of Michigan. November 10, 2011. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  7. "2010 Michigan Bucks statistics". BucksSoccer.com. Michigan Bucks. Archived from the original on April 30, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  8. "2011 Michigan Bucks statistics". BucksSoccer.com. Michigan Bucks. Archived from the original on January 19, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  9. "2012 Detroit City FC stats". NationalPremierSoccerLeague.com. National Premier Soccer League. Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  10. "Opare Selected by LA Galaxy with 24th Pick in MLS SuperDraft". MGoBlue. University of Michigan. January 17, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  11. "LA Galaxy sign defender Kofi Opare". Los Angeles Galaxy. LA Galaxy Communications. March 11, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  12. "LA Galaxy 2, CS Cartagines 0 | CONCACAF Champions League Match Recap". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. August 20, 2013. Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  13. http://www.dcunited.com/news/2014/07/dc-united-acquires-kofi-opare-from-la-galaxy
  14. "GOAL: Kofi Opare first ever goal for D.C. United ties the game up". mlssoccer.com. May 13, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  15. "D.C. United announce contract options". November 28, 2018. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  16. https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/02/25/colorado-rapids-sign-center-back-kofi-opare
  17. "Colorado Rapids announce roster moves ahead of the 2020 season". November 21, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
  18. "Rongen Names 19 Players to Travel to Trinidad & Tobago as Preparation for CONCACAF Championship". USsoccer. January 12, 2009. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  19. "Yes to 6+5 and new WADA Code". FIFA.com. May 30, 2008. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  20. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2015/05/04/his-stock-rising-dc-united-kofi-opare-looking-secure-canada-eligibility
  21. Kofi Opare at Major League Soccer
  22. Kofi Opare at Soccerway
  23. "Kofi Opare at SoccerStats.us". SoccerStats.us. SoccerStats.us. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
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