John Orobulu
{{short description|Solomon Islands footballer}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = John Orobulu
| image =
| caption =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2000|8|29|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Honiara, Solomon Islands
| height =
| currentclub = Henderson Eels
| clubnumber = 7
| position = Forward
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 2023–2024
| clubs1 = Southern United
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 2024–
| clubs2 = Henderson Eels
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
| nationalyears1 = 2023–
| nationalteam1 = Solomon Islands
| nationalcaps1 = 9
| nationalgoals1 = 8
| club-update = 6 October 2023
| nationalteam-update = 18 June 2024
| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Country|{{fb|SLB}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|MSG Prime Minister's Cup}}{{medal|Winner|2023 New Caledonia|}}
}}
John Orobulu is a Solomon Islands footballer who currently plays for Telekom S-League club Henderson Eels and the Solomon Islands national team.
Club career
Orobulu took part in the 2022 Solomon Cup with Honiara Warriors FC. He went on to become top scorer in the competition.{{cite web |last1=Abana |first1=Simon |title=Malaita Eagles win fifth Solomon Cup |url=https://www.siff.com.sb/malaita-eagles-win-fifth-solomon-cup/ |publisher=Solomon Islands Football Federation |access-date=6 October 2023}} His performance included a four-goal match against Makira-Ulawa which garnered him Man of the Match honours.{{cite web |title=John Orabulu sealed 4 goals for Honiara Warriors to register first 3 points against a determined Makira Ulawa side. |url=https://www.facebook.com/solomonislandsfootball/posts/john-orabulu-sealed-4-goals-for-honiara-warriors-to-register-first-3-points-agai/560941469375141/ |publisher=Solomon Islands Football Federation |access-date=6 October 2023}}{{cite web |title=Day 4-Player of the Match |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=560961282706493&set=a.484219923713963&type=3&locale=hi_IN |publisher=Solomon Islands Football Federation |access-date=6 October 2023}} Later that year, he was a standout player in the IUMI Cup, a competition mostly for youth players which also features players from the Telekom S-League.{{cite web |last1=Iroga |first1=Robert |title=Meet the man behind the IUMI Cup Championship |url=https://sbm.sb/meet-the-man-behind-the-iumi-cup-championship/ |publisher=Solomon Business Magazine |access-date=6 October 2023}} Orobulu scored at least fifteen goals as the second-best scorer in the competition.{{cite web |last1=Terry |first1=Floyd |title=Molea on fire |url=https://www.solomonstarnews.com/molea-on-fire/ |publisher=Solomon Star News |access-date=6 October 2023}}
For the 2023 S-League season, Orobulu joined Southern United.{{cite web |last1=Abana |first1=Simon |title=FC Juniper Tree, Central Coast FC and Southern United ends first league round on a high |url=https://www.siff.com.sb/fc-juniper-tree-central-coast-fc-and-southern-united-ends-first-league-round-on-a-high/ |publisher=Solomon Islands Football Federation |access-date=6 October 2023}} In the club's first match of the season, Orobulu scored a hat-trick against defending champions Solomon Warriors. It was the first hat-trick scored by any player in the new season.{{cite web |last1=Aruafu |first1=Carlos |title=TSL season kicks off |url=https://www.solomonstarnews.com/tsl-season-kicks-off/ |publisher=Solomon Star News |access-date=6 October 2023}} In his first four league matches, the player scored five goals to take an early lead in the Golden Boot race.{{cite web |last1=Saltori |first1=Rafael| title=Telekom S-League: Southern United’s Orobulu rises as ‘Golden Boot’ surprise candidate |url=https://oceaniafootballcenter.org/2023/05/21/telekom-s-league-southern-uniteds-orobulu-rises-as-golden-boot-surprise-candidate/ |publisher=Oceania Football Center |access-date=6 October 2023}} To open the second half of the season, Orobulu scored a brace in a 2–1 victory over Marist. The brace increased Orobulu's goal tally to fourteen, five more than second-place Gagame Feni.{{cite web |last1=Aruafu |first1=Carlos |title=Orobulu strikes again |url=https://www.solomonstarnews.com/orobulu-strikes-again/ |publisher=Solomon Star News |access-date=6 October 2023}}
Following his golden boot win at the 2023 Pacific Games, Orobulu was expected to join Ba of the Fiji Premier League during the winter 2024 transfer window.{{cite web |last1=Mamu |first1=Moffat |title=Kakasi to rejoin Ba |url=https://www.solomonstarnews.com/kakasi-to-rejoin-ba/ |publisher=The Solomon Star News |access-date=11 February 2024}} Another Fijian club, Nadroga F.C. was also reportedly close to signing the player, before Orobulu ultimately declined the deal.{{cite web |last1=Cama |first1=Akuila |title=Solomon Islands star Orobulu for Nadroga |url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/sports/football/solomon-islands-star-orobulu-for-nadroga/ |publisher=Fiji Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=11 February 2024}} Shortly thereafter it was announced in late January 2024 that he had joined domestic side Henderson Eels for the 2024 season.{{cite web |last1=Mamu |first1=Moffat |title=Orobulu for Eels |url=https://www.solomonstarnews.com/orobulu-for-eels/ |publisher=The Solomon Star News |access-date=11 February 2024}}
International career
In July 2023, while top scorer in the S-League, Orobulu was called up to the Solomon Islands national team for the first time for a training camp.{{cite web |title=Twenty-five (25) players have been called up to join the Solomon Islands national training squad training sessions starting next week. |url=https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0HyYU3BVegzCVkq18hADEh2zxT1UVs3A3kEfiNGt4dN9UjjxLq8WEYk1cR1rjLqUCl&id=100063778784647 |publisher=Solomon Islands Football Federation |access-date=6 October 2023}} The following October, head coach Felipe Vega-Arango named Orobulu as one of three new players in the senior squad that would take part in the 2023 MSG Prime Minister's Cup in New Caledonia as a preparation for the 2023 Pacific Games.{{cite web |title=MSG PM Cup a test preparation for Sol2023 Games |url=https://www.siff.com.sb/msg-pm-cup-a-test-preparation-for-sol2023-games/ |publisher=Solomon Islands Football Federation |access-date=6 October 2023}} Orobulu made his debut in the opening match of the tournament, an eventual 3–1 victory over Papua New Guinea on 8 October.{{cite web |title=GSA profile |url=https://globalsportsarchive.com/people/soccer/john-orobulu/433786/ |publisher=Global Sports Archive |access-date=9 October 2023}}
Orobulu was named to the Solomon's squad for the Pacific Games in November 2023. He went on to be the top scorer in the competition with eight goals.{{cite web |title=Solomon Islands men’s football settles for silver at home |url=https://www.siff.com.sb/solomon-islands-mens-football-settles-for-silver-at-home/ |publisher=Solomon Islands Football Federation |access-date=4 December 2023}} His performances included a goal against Samoa,{{cite web |last1=Aruafu |first1=Carlos |title=Solomon Islands secure narrow victory in men’s football opener |url=https://www.sol2023.com.sb/solomon-islands-secure-narrow-victory-in-mens-football-opener/ |publisher=Pacific Games News Service |access-date=4 December 2023}} five against American Samoa,{{cite web |last1=Alex |first1=Chris |title=Orobulu Scores Five Goals As Solomon Islands Thrash American Samoa |url=https://sports.islesmedia.net/orobulu-scores-five-goals-as-solomon-islands-thrash-american-samoa/ |publisher=Solomon Islands Sports Media |access-date=4 December 2023}} and a brace against New Caledonia in the final. Orobulu's two goals in the championship match were not enough as the Solomon Islands drew 2–2 in regulation before falling on penalties.{{cite web |title=Papua New Guinea and New Caledonia Take Pacific Games Glory |url=https://www.oceaniafootball.com/papua-new-guinea-and-new-caledonia-take-pacific-games-glory/#:~:text=In%20the%20men's%20tournament%2C%20New,contest%20swung%20back%20and%20forth. |publisher=Oceania Football Confederation |access-date=4 December 2023}}
Career Statistics
=International=
{{Updated|match played 18 December 2024}}{{NFT player|92713|access-date=1 April 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="2"|Solomon Islands
|2023 | 7 | 8 | |
| 2024 | 10 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!17 | 8 |
:Scores and results list Solomon Islands' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Orobulu goal.
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by John Orobulu |
| 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}} |
|---|
| style="text-align:center"|1
|{{dts|17 December 2023}} |Lawson Tama Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands |{{fb|Samoa}} |style="text-align:center"|1–0 |style="text-align:center"|1–0 |
| style="text-align:center"|2
|rowspan="5"|{{dts|23 December 2023}} |rowspan="5"|Lawson Tama Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands |rowspan="5"|{{fb|American Samoa}} |style="text-align:center"|1–0 |rowspan="5" style="text-align:center"|11–0 |rowspan="5"|2023 Pacific Games |
| style="text-align:center"|3
|style="text-align:center"|7–0 |
| style="text-align:center"|4
|style="text-align:center"|9–0 |
| style="text-align:center"|5
|style="text-align:center"|10–0 |
| style="text-align:center"|6
|style="text-align:center"|11–0 |
| style="text-align:center"|7
|rowspan="2"|{{dts|2 December 2023}} |rowspan="2"|National Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands |rowspan="2"|{{fb|New Caledonia}} |style="text-align:center"|1–1 |rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"|2–2 |rowspan="2"|2023 Pacific Games |
| style="text-align:center"|8
|style="text-align:center"|2–2 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{NFT player|92713/John_Orobulu}}
- {{GSA player|john-orobulu/433786}}
{{Solomon Islands squad 2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Orobulu, John}}
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Solomon Islands men's international footballers