Abuchi Obinwa
{{short description|American professional soccer player (born 1997)}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Abuchi Obinwa
| image = Obinwa Abuchi Columbus Crew SC Meet the Team 2017 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Obinwa at a Columbus Crew Meet the Team event in 2017
| fullname = Maduabuchi Obinwa
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|1|15}}
| birth_place = Columbus, Ohio, United States
| height = {{height|ft=6|in=1}}
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Chicago Magic PSG
| youthyears2 = 2014–2016
| youthclubs2 = Hannover 96
| years1 = 2015
| clubs1 = Hannover 96 II
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2017
| clubs2 = Columbus Crew
| caps2 = 0
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2017
| clubs3 = → Pittsburgh Riverhounds (loan)
| caps3 = 7
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2018
| clubs4 = Inter Orlando
| caps4 =
| goals4 =
| years5 = 2018–2019
| clubs5 = Lusitano FCV
| caps5 = 8
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2020–2021
| clubs6 = South Georgia Tormenta
| caps6 = 38
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2022
| clubs7 = FC Tulsa
| caps7 = 19
| goals7 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2014
| nationalteam1 = United States U18
| nationalcaps1 = 3
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2015
| nationalteam2 = United States U20
| nationalcaps2 = 2
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| pcupdate = October 20, 2022
| ntupdate = September 7, 2015
}}
Maduabuchi "Abuchi" Obinwa (born January 15, 1997) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder.
Youth
Born in Columbus, Ohio, Obinwa spent time in his youth with Chicago Magic PSG, an affiliate of French club Paris Saint-Germain. While with the team, he was named the 2013 U.S. Soccer Development Academy's U15/16 Central Conference Player of the Year.{{cite web|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2014/03/17/12/39/us-soccer-awards-academy-players-and-coaches-of-year|title=U.S. SOCCER AWARDS U-15/16 AND U-17/18 ACADEMY PLAYERS AND COACHES OF YEAR FOR 2012–13 SEASON|website=USSoccer.com|accessdate=10 April 2017}} He also played with the PSG academy and spent time with the youth academy of Spanish club Real Madrid.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/24282432|title=Obinwa refuses to rule out Nigeria despite MRI scan failure|work=BBC Sport|accessdate=10 April 2017}}
Obinwa signed his first professional contract with German club Hannover 96 on January 29, 2015, six months after he had signed an amateur contract with the club.{{cite web|url=http://www.supersport.com/football/nigeria/news/150130/Abuchi_Obinwa_signs_for_Hannover_96|title=Abuchi Obinwa signs for Hannover 96|website=SuperSport.com|accessdate=10 April 2017}} He never made a professional appearance, only appearing for the U19 side in the Under-19 Bundesliga North/Northeast. Obinwa made six appearances over two seasons with the U19s. He also appeared once on the bench for Hannover 96 II in the Regionalliga Nord. Obinwa was an unused substitute against VfR Neumünster on March 29, 2015.{{Soccerway|abuchi-obinwa/358163}}
Club career
=Columbus Crew SC=
On January 25, 2017, Obinwa signed with his hometown club Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer.{{cite web|title=Columbus Crew SC sign young midfielders Abuchi Obinwa and Cristian Martinez|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/01/25/columbus-crew-sc-sign-young-midfielders-abuchi-obinwa-and-cristian-martinez|website=MLSSoccer.com|accessdate=22 March 2017}} He made his first appearance for Columbus on July 17 in a friendly against German club Eintracht Frankfurt, replacing Mohammed Abu in the 67th minute of a 1–0 victory for Crew SC.{{cite web|url=https://www.columbuscrewsc.com/post/2017/07/17/recap-crew-sc-measures-friendly-defeats-eintracht-frankfurt|title=RECAP: Crew SC measures up in friendly, defeats Eintracht Frankfurt|website=ColumbusCrewSC.com|accessdate=19 July 2017}} Obinwa spent the rest of the season on loan to Pittsburgh, and finished the year without appearing again for Crew SC.
On December 1, 2017, Crew SC declined Obinwa's contract option.{{cite web|url=https://www.columbuscrewsc.com/post/2017/12/01/options-exercised-9-players-ahead-2018-season|title=Options exercised on 9 players ahead of 2018 season|website=ColumbusCrewSC.com|accessdate=10 December 2017}} He left the club after just one season, and did not make an official appearance while in Columbus.
==Loan to Pittsburgh Riverhounds==
On March 25, 2017, Columbus sent Obinwa on loan to their affiliate Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the USL.{{cite web|title=Riverhounds seek strong start despite challenging opening matchup|url=http://triblive.com/sports/riverhounds/12106569-74/hounds-want-strong-start|website=TribLive.com|accessdate=25 March 2017}} Obinwa made his professional debut on April 8, 2017, against Charleston Battery, entering in the 13th minute to replace fellow Crew SC loanee Ben Swanson as the Riverhounds picked up a 2–1 victory.{{cite web|url=http://www.riverhounds.com/news_article/show/779152?referrer_id=2869741|title=HOUNDS KNOCK OFF CHARLESTON IN EPIC FASHION, 2–1|website=Riverhounds.com|date=8 April 2017|accessdate=10 April 2017}} Four days later, April 12, he started for the first time in his professional career, against Saint Louis FC. Obinwa played 67 minutes before being replaced by Michael Green as the Riverhounds were defeated 2–1.{{cite web|url=http://www.riverhounds.com/news_article/show/780946?referrer_id=2869741|title=HOUNDS OUTLASTED BY SAINT LOUIS, 2–1|website=Riverhounds.com|date=12 April 2017|accessdate=13 July 2017}} Obinwa played sparingly for the remainder of the season, finishing the year with just seven appearances for Pittsburgh.
=Lusitano FCV=
Obinwa joined Portuguese third division side Lusitano FCV in 2018.{{cite web |title=CAMPEONATO DE PORTUGAL 18/19 Abuchi Obinwa é reforço para o meiocampo de Rogério Sousa |url=http://noticiasdeviseu.com/campeonato-de-portugal-1819-abuchi-obinwa-e-reforco-para-o-meiocampo-de-rogerio-sousa/ |website=NoticiasDeViseu.com |date=11 February 2019 |accessdate=28 March 2019 |language=Portuguese}}
=South Georgia Tormenta FC=
Obinwa returned to the United States by signing with USL League One's South Georgia Tormenta FC on December 12, 2019.{{cite web |title=Tormenta FC Adds Midfielder Abuchi Obinwa to 2020 Roster |url=https://www.tormentafc.com/news_article/show/1070928 |website=TormentaFC.com |date=12 December 2019 |accessdate=12 December 2019}}
=FC Tulsa=
On January 20, 2022, Obinwa signed with USL Championship club FC Tulsa.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fctulsa.com/news_article/show/1204272|title = FC Tulsa Adds Versatile Midfielder Abuchi Obinwa to 2022 Roster| work=FC Tulsa: Oklahoma's Premier Pro Soccer Club |date = 20 January 2022 | last1=Tulsa | first1=FC }} He was released by Tulsa following the 2022 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fctulsa.com/news/2022/10/24/fc-tulsa-announces-first-2023-roster-update/|title=FC Tulsa Announces First 2023 Roster Update as the Offseason Gets Underway}}
International career
Obinwa has represented the United States at U15, U16, U17, U18, and U20 level. Obinwa made three appearances for the U18s at the 2014 U18 International Tournament in Lisbon, Portugal, where he played alongside future club teammate Ben Swanson.{{cite web|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2014/06/02/09/45/140602-u18-mnt-lisbon-tournament-roster-rel|title=U-18 MNT TO PLAY AT INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT IN PORTUGAL|website=USSoccer.com|accessdate=10 April 2017}} He would be called up for the U20 team for the 2015 Stevan Vilotic-Cele Tournament in Serbia, again playing alongside Swanson and making two appearances.{{cite web|url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/08/28/12/31/150828-u20mnt-begins-new-cycle-at-stevan-vilotic-tournament|title=U-20 MNT BEGINS NEW CYCLE AT STEVAN VILOTIC TOURNAMENT IN SERBIA|website=USSoccer.com|accessdate=10 April 2017}}
As a dual-citizen, Obinwa is eligible to represent the United States or Nigeria.{{cite web|url=https://www.columbuscrewsc.com/players/abuchi-obinwa|title=Abuchi Obinwa – Columbus Crew SC|website=ColumbusCrewSC.com|accessdate=12 July 2017}} He also qualifies for the Super Eagles through his parents, who are both Nigerian.
=Nigeria age fabrication scandal=
In July 2013, sixteen-year-old Obinwa controversially failed an MRI test when undergoing assessment to represent the Nigeria U17 team at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup despite having the necessary paperwork from his country of birth, the United States. Nigeria went on to win the tournament and claim their fourth U-17 World Cup.
Career statistics
{{updated|July 8, 2018|{{MLS player|abuchi-obinwa}}}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | ||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|Cup !colspan=2|Continental !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Hannover 96 II
|0 | 0 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Columbus Crew
|2017 |MLS |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|– | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Pittsburgh Riverhounds (loan)
|2017 |USL |7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 7 | 0 | |||
| Inter Orlando
|2018{{cite web|url=https://www.interorlandofc.com/madabuchi-obinwa|title=Abuchi Obinwa – Inter Orlando profile|website=InterOrlandoFC.com|publisher=Inter Orlando FC|accessdate=January 25, 2019|archive-date=January 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190126113910/https://www.interorlandofc.com/madabuchi-obinwa|url-status=dead}} |UPSL |0 | 0 | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | colspan=2|– | 0 | 0 | ||||
| colspan=3|Career total
!7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.columbuscrewsc.com/players/abuchi-obinwa Columbus profile]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20170612150323/http://www.riverhounds.com/abuchi-obinwa Pittsburgh profile]
- {{MLS player|abuchi-obinwa}}
- {{USL player|abuchi-obinwa}}
- {{Soccerway|abuchi-obinwa/358163}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obinwa, Abuchi}}
Category:American men's soccer players
Category:African-American soccer players
Category:American sportspeople of Nigerian descent
Category:Soccer players from Columbus, Ohio
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:United States men's youth international soccer players
Category:United States men's under-20 international soccer players
Category:Columbus Crew players
Category:Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC players
Category:Major League Soccer players
Category:USL Championship players
Category:United Premier Soccer League players
Category:American expatriate men's soccer players
Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal