Ini-Abasi Umotong
{{short description|Nigerian footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use Nigerian English|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ini-Abasi Umotong
| image = Ini Umotong Charlton Ath Women 1 Lewes FC Women 0 16 01 2022-113 (51825552910).jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Umotong playing for Lewes in 2022
| fullname = Ini-Abasi Anefiok Umotong{{cite news |url=http://www.fifadata.com/document/FWWC/2015/pdf/FWWC_2015_SquadLists.pdf |title= List of Players – 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup |work=Fédération Internationale de Football Association |access-date=20 June 2015}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1994|5|15|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Calabar, Nigeria
| height = 1.74 m{{cite web|url=http://www.wsuraiders.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27000&ATCLID=205438547|title=Ini Umotong Biography|work=WSURaiders.com}}
| position = Forward
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Birmingham City{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghamcityladiesfc.co.uk/news/extra_time_knock_out_for_reserves.html#By30Sp5FJKERToCK.97|title=Extra Time Knock Out For Reserves}}
| youthyears2 = 2011–2012{{cite web|url=http://www.shekicks.net/flog/interviews/post/386|title=Shekicks – Women's Football Interviews: Graham Abercrombie/ Aston Villa LFC Manager}}
| youthclubs2 = Aston Villa
| collegeyears1 = 2012–2013
| college1 = Wright State Raiders
| collegecaps1 = 38
| collegegoals1 = 11
| years1 = 2014–2016
| clubs1 = Portsmouth
| caps1 = 45
| goals1 = 54
| years2 = 2016–2017
| clubs2 = Oxford United
| caps2 = 26
| goals2 = 17
| years3 = 2017–2020
| clubs3 = Brighton & Hove Albion
| caps3 = 46
| goals3 = 11
| years4 = 2020
| clubs4 = Växjö DFF
| caps4 = 15
| goals4 = 2
| years5 = 2021–2022
| clubs5 = Lewes
| caps5 = 20
| goals5 = 9
| nationalyears1 = 2015–2019
| nationalteam1 = Nigeria
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| pcupdate = 31 July 2020 (UTC)
| ntupdate = 21 May 2018 (UTC)
}}
Ini-Abasi Anefiok Umotong (born 15 May 1994) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward.{{cite web|url=http://www.sporton.ng/index.php/global-soccer-extra/international/watch-out-the-falcons-fast-and-furious-8-part-2/2078-watch-out-the-falcons-fast-and-furious-8-part-2|title=WATCH OUT! The Falcons' Fast and Furious 8.... (Part 2) – SportON Nigeria|author=Chibuogwu Nnadiegbulam|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304034127/http://www.sporton.ng/index.php/global-soccer-extra/international/watch-out-the-falcons-fast-and-furious-8-part-2/2078-watch-out-the-falcons-fast-and-furious-8-part-2|archive-date=2016-03-04}}
Early life
Born in Calabar, Nigeria, Umotong alongside her family moved to Birmingham, England when she was one year old. She is the youngest of six siblings born to Dr Ben Anefiok and Grace Umotong of Ikono in Old Cross River State. She began playing football at the age of five and it was in Primary school where she was spotted by Birmingham City in 2003. She later attended the selective King Edward VI Five Ways Grammar School.
International career
She earned her first call up to the Super Falcons in February, 2015 when coach Edwin Okon invited 36 players to camp to prepare for the 11th All-Africa Games qualifiers, 2016 Olympic Games qualifiers and the 7th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals.{{cite web|url=http://www.thenff.com/2015/02/okon-calls-36-camp/|title=Coach Edwin Okon Calls 36 to Camp|work=Nigeria Football Federation's (thenff) Official Website|access-date=26 June 2015|archive-date=22 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122073818/https://www.thenff.com/2015/02/okon-calls-36-camp/|url-status=dead}} The Economics and Actuarial Science undergraduate at the University of Southampton had to skip the first two weeks of the camp in Abuja due to her studies.{{cite web|url=http://www.sporton.ng/index.php/global-soccer-extra/international/excited-umotong-relishes-her-call-up-to-super-falcons-celebrates-with-a-brace/939-excited-umotong-relishes-her-call-up-to-super-falcons-celebrates-with-a-brace|title=Excited Umotong relishes her call up to Super Falcons, celebrates with a brace – SportON Nigeria|author=Chibuogwu Nnadiegbulam|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630085408/http://www.sporton.ng/index.php/global-soccer-extra/international/excited-umotong-relishes-her-call-up-to-super-falcons-celebrates-with-a-brace/939-excited-umotong-relishes-her-call-up-to-super-falcons-celebrates-with-a-brace|archive-date=2015-06-30}}
On arrival after two weeks, promising Umotong got her first taste of action almost immediately as a late substitute in a warm-up 1–1 draw against a male academy team,{{cite web|url=http://www.sporton.ng/index.php/global-soccer-extra/international/umotong-lands-in-super-falcons-camp-plays-first-test-match/1190-umotong-lands-in-super-falcons-camp-plays-first-test-match|title=Umotong lands in Super Falcons camp, plays first test match – SportON Nigeria|author=Chibuogwu Nnadiegbulam|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630173100/http://www.sporton.ng/index.php/global-soccer-extra/international/umotong-lands-in-super-falcons-camp-plays-first-test-match/1190-umotong-lands-in-super-falcons-camp-plays-first-test-match|archive-date=2015-06-30}} showing true dedication in her quest to make the team for Canada 2015. She followed it up with a goal when she came on for 20 minutes in another tune-up match against Nigeria Women Premier League side, Confluence Queens,{{cite web|url=https://sentherforward.wordpress.com/2015/03/17/world-cup-hopeful-umotong-scores-on-nigerian-bow/|title=World Cup hopeful Umotong scores on Nigerian bow|work=Sent Her Forward|date=17 March 2015 }} before becoming the first Portsmouth player to feature in a full international after making her 33-minute debut for Nigeria in the first leg of their All-Africa Games qualifier against Mali in Bamako. She was eventually named in the 23-player list for the World Cup in Canada{{cite web | url=https://www.thenff.com/2015/05/canada-2015-world-cup-excites-umotong-dike/ | title=Canada 2015 World Cup excites Umotong, Dike | date=28 May 2015 | publisher=Nigeria Football Federation | access-date=1 September 2019 | archive-date=1 September 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190901201938/https://www.thenff.com/2015/05/canada-2015-world-cup-excites-umotong-dike/ | url-status=dead }} but did not feature in any of Nigeria's three group matches as the African Champions failed to progress to the knockout stage.
In January 2019 at the Four Nations Tournament in China, Umotong scored her first goal for the Super Falcons. She emerged from the substitute's bench to register the final goal in a 4–1 win over Romania. "One of the stand-out moments of my career," she said.{{cite news |last1=Ketley |first1=Jake |title=Umotong thrilled with first international goal |url=https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2019/january/umotong-thrilled-with-first-international-goal/ |access-date=9 March 2019 |publisher=Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. |date=25 January 2019}}
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Ini-Abasi Umotong |
| scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Venue !scope="col"|Opponent !scope="col"|Score !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Competition !scope="col" class="unsortable"|{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| scope=row style="text-align: center"| 1
| 20 January 2019 | Wuhua Olympic Sports Center, China | {{fbw|ROM}} | align=center | 4-1 | align=center | 4-1 |
Club career
Umotong's phenomenal first season (2014–15) at Portsmouth has opened the path for her international career, after her goal scoring exploits led the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division side to win their seventh successive Hampshire County Cup{{cite web|url=https://sentherforward.wordpress.com/2015/04/09/substitute-umotongs-double-helps-portsmouth-to-hampshire-cup-record/|title=Substitute Umotong's double helps Portsmouth to Hampshire Cup record – Sent Her Forward|work=Sent Her Forward|date=9 April 2015 }} and the league title, while narrowly missing out on promotion to the FA Women's Super League 2. With 29 goals in 25 league and cup matches, Umotong emerged top goal scorer for Pompey.
File:BHA Women 0 Man Utd Women 2 WFAC 4th rd 03 02 2019-674 (46072324225).jpg against Manchester United in February 2019]]
In February 2016, Umotong left Portsmouth for FA WSL 2 club Oxford United. Oxford manager Les Taylor was pleased with the signing: "Ini is a striker who possesses both power and pace."{{cite news|title=Ini Umotong: Oxford United Women sign Portsmouth Ladies striker|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35650237|access-date=24 July 2016|publisher=BBC Sport|date=24 February 2016}} She had scored 25 goals for Portsmouth during the first part of 2015–16.{{cite news|title=Oxford snap up Ini Umotong|url=http://www.shekicks.net/news/view/12772|access-date=24 July 2016|publisher=She Kicks|date=24 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816221608/http://www.shekicks.net/news/view/12772|archive-date=16 August 2016|url-status=dead}} With Oxford Umotong continued to score regularly, finishing FA WSL 2 top-goalscorer with 13 goals in 19 appearances, before adding four goals in seven appearances in the FA WSL Spring Series.{{cite web |title=9 Ini Umotong Forward |url=https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/teams/womens-team/forward/ini-umotong/ |publisher=Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. |access-date=9 March 2019 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
After a transfer to Brighton & Hove Albion in July 2017,{{cite news |last1=Bailey |first1=Steve |title=Albion women sign Nigerian international |url=https://www.brightonandhoveindependent.co.uk/sport/football/albion/albion-women-sign-nigerian-international-1-8074618 |access-date=9 March 2019 |publisher=Brighton & Hove Independent |date=26 July 2017}} Umotong scored eight league goals to help the Seagulls finish second in the re-branded second tier (now known as the FA Women's Championship). When Brighton successfully bid for a franchise in the top division, Umotong was one of the club's existing players to be kept on. She hailed the influence of Brighton coach Hope Powell, crediting the former England manager with a dramatic improvement in her game.{{cite news |title=Umotong buoyed by a new challenge |url=https://womenscompetitions.thefa.com/en/Article/Brighton-Ini-Umotong-120918 |access-date=9 March 2019 |publisher=The Football Association |date=12 September 2018}}
Personal life
Before becoming a full-time footballer with Brighton, Umotong combined her football career with her studies for an Economics degree at the University of Southampton. She graduated with first-class honours and claimed to have been inspired by fellow British-Nigerian footballer Eniola Aluko.{{cite web |title=This is how Ini Umotong juggled World Cup football with her First Class honours degree |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/more-sports/this-is-how-ini-umotong-juggled-world-cup-football-with-her-first-class-honours-degree/vi-BBUxtYa |publisher=Copa90 |access-date=9 March 2019 |date=8 March 2019}}
Honours
Portsmouth F.C. Women
- FA Women's Premier League Southern Division (1): 2015{{cite web|url=http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/portsmouthfcladies/teams/114774/match-centre/0-2764193|title=Pompey win the league after victory over West Ham}}
- Hampshire County Cup (1): 2015{{cite web|url=http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/news/article/portsmouth-ladies-4-southampton-1-in-hampshire-cup-final-2387349.aspx|title=Portsmouth Ladies 4 Southampton 1 in Hampshire Cup final|author=Neil Weld}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Commons category|Ini Umotong}}
- {{FIFA player|387188}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20150630135550/http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/portsmouthfcladies/teams/114774/player/ini-umotong-1470209 Profile] at Portsmouth FC
- {{Soccerway|iniabasi-anefiok-umotong/406149}}
{{Nigeria squad 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Umotong, Iniabasi}}
Category:Nigeria women's international footballers
Category:Nigerian women's footballers
Category:21st-century Nigerian sportswomen
Category:Wright State Raiders women's soccer players
Category:Nigerian emigrants to the United Kingdom
Category:FA Women's National League players
Category:Women's Super League players
Category:2015 FIFA Women's World Cup players
Category:Women's association football forwards
Category:Brighton & Hove Albion W.F.C. players
Category:Oxford United W.F.C. players
Category:Portsmouth F.C. Women players
Category:Alumni of the University of Southampton
Category:Nigerian expatriate women's footballers
Category:Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Category:Expatriate women's soccer players in the United States
Category:Lewes F.C. Women players
Category:Women's Super League 2 players
Category:Expatriate women's footballers in Sweden