Mohammed-Awal Issah

{{for|the Ghanaian footballer born in 1988 who plays for Maritzburg United F.C.|Mohamed Awal}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mohammed-Awal Issah

| image = Petronijevic2.JPG

| image_size = 250

| caption = Issah (in white) tackling Dušan Petronijević in 2009

| height = 1.74 m

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|4|4|df=y}}

| birth_place = Accra, Ghana

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| position = Defensive midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Real Sportive

| years1 = 2007

| clubs1 = Real Sportive

| caps1 = ?

| goals1 = ?

| years2 = 2007–2009

| clubs2 = AmaZulu

| caps2 = 34

| goals2 = 2

| years3 = 2009–2011

| clubs3 = Red Star Belgrade

| caps3 = 65

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2011–2013

| clubs4 = Rosenborg

| caps4 = 24

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2013

| clubs5 = → Veria (loan)

| caps5 = 0

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2013–2014

| clubs6 = AmaZulu

| caps6 = 4

| goals6 = 0

| totalcaps =

| totalgoals =

| nationalyears1 = 2007

| nationalteam1 = Ghana U-20

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

}}

Mohammed-Awal Issah (born 4 April 1986) is a Ghanaian former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

Club career

Issah began his career by Real Sportive before signing a two-year contract with AmaZulu in the South African PSL in August 2007.[http://www.myghanaonline.com/home.php?id=1189&type=news Gossip/Transfers: Appiah & Kuffour for EPL?] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080503144354/http://www.myghanaonline.com/home.php?id=1189&type=news |date=3 May 2008 }}

On 10 October 2008, he went to Serbia for trials with Red Star Belgrade{{cite web|title=South Africa: Awal-Issah Leaves for Trials in Serbia|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200810100402.html|website=allafrica.com|accessdate=30 May 2017|date=10 October 2008}} and in December 2008, he signed a 4.5-year contract with the club.{{cite web|title=Issah gears up for Serbia move|url=http://www.kickoff.com/news/5925/issah-gears-up-for-serbia-move|website=Kickoff|accessdate=30 May 2017|date=29 December 2008}} In mid-May 2009, AmaZulu contacted FIFA stating they had not received the full transfer fee for Issah from Red Star Belgrade.{{cite news|last1=Gosai|first1=Kamlesh|title=AmaZulu turn to Fifa over Issah transfer fee|url=http://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/sport/amazulu-turn-to-fifa-over-issah-transfer-fee-601835|accessdate=30 May 2017|work=Independent Online|date=15 May 2009}} Later that month, Issah, together with teammate and compatriot Bernard Parker sued Red Star Belgrade for failing to fulfil financial obligations.{{cite web|title=Bernard Parker And Mohammed-Awal Issah Suing Red Star Belgrade|url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/1659/south-africa/2009/05/29/1292860/bernard-parker-and-mohammed-awal-issah-suing-red-star|website=Goal|accessdate=30 May 2017|date=29 May 2009}} In January 2011, Issah was one of eight players told they were surplus to requirements.{{cite web|title=Red Star Belgrade sack Mohammed Awal|url=http://ghanasoccernet.com/red-star-belgrade-sack-mohammed-awal|website=ghanasoccernet.com|accessdate=30 May 2017|date=4 January 2011}}

In the 2011 summer transfer window, Issah signed for Norwegian club Rosenborg BK.{{cite news|last1=Wolden|first1=Odd Rune|title=Ghaneser signerte for Rosenborg|url=http://www.tv2.no/a/3538466/|accessdate=30 May 2017|work=TV 2|date=13 July 2011|language=Norwegian}}

On 25 January 2013, Issah joined Greek Super League club Veria F.C. on a 1.5-year loan contract.[http://veriafc.gr/index.php/2012-10-10-16-25-23/251-ta-nea-ths-proponhshs-25-1 Άφιξη Ισά για 1,5 χρόνο στη Βέροια(Greek)] on www.veriafc.gr After half a season, the loan was terminated.{{cite web|title=Ghanaian Awal-Issah clubless after terminating Veria loan deal|url=http://ghanasoccernet.com/ghanaian-awal-issah-clubless-after-terminating-veria-loan-deal|website=ghanasoccernet.com|date=14 March 2013 |accessdate=30 May 2017}}

On 1 August 2013, Issah re-joined AmaZulu after almost five years in European football while AmaZulu agreed a transfer deal with Rosenborg.{{cite web |url=http://www.rbk.no/news/article/1ofhj9yujcapb19w7v023hncg9/title/issah-klar-for-amazulu |title=Nyheter | Rosenborg |accessdate=7 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130814135059/http://www.rbk.no/news/article/1ofhj9yujcapb19w7v023hncg9/title/issah-klar-for-amazulu |archivedate=14 August 2013}} In February 2014, the club reported him to the South African Football Association claiming he had disappeared.{{cite web|title=South African club AmaZulu launch legal action against Ghanaian midfielder Awal-Issah for going AWOL|url=http://ghanasoccernet.com/south-african-club-amazulu-launch-legal-action-ghanaian-midfielder-awal-issah-going-awol|website=ghanasoccernet.com|accessdate=30 May 2017|date=6 February 2014}} Two months later, Issah was fined $170,000 for going absent and received a four-month playing ban.{{cite news|last1=Said|first1=Nick|title=AmaZulu win R1.7m damages|url=http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sport/2014/04/02/amazulu-win-r1.7m-damages|accessdate=30 May 2017|work=The Sowetan|date=2 April 2014}}{{cite web|title=Ghanaian midfielder Issah gutted over $170,000 fine slapped on him by South Africa FA|url=http://ghanasoccernet.com/ghanaian-midfielder-issah-gutted-170000-fine-slapped-south-africa-fa|accessdate=30 May 2017|website=ghanasoccernet.com|date=10 April 2014}}

International career

Issah was a member of the Ghana national under-20 team at the 2007 Toulon Tournament.{{cite web|url=http://www.festival-foot-espoirs.com/archive-festival-foot/archive-festival-foot.php?annee=2007&id=35&content=equipes|title=2007 squads|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004224440/http://www.festival-foot-espoirs.com/archive-festival-foot/archive-festival-foot.php?annee=2007&id=35&content=equipes|archive-date=4 October 2013|website=festival-foot-espoirs.com|language=fr}}

Career statistics

=Club=

{{updated|30 May 2017}}{{cite web|title=Mohammed Issah » Club matches|url=http://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/mohammed-issah/|website=worldfootball.net|accessdate=30 May 2017}}{{cite web|title=M. Issah|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/mohammed-awal-issah/64586/|website=Soccerway|accessdate=30 May 2017}}

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Cup !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="4"\|Red Star	2008–09	rowspan="3"\|Serbian SuperLiga	16	0	0	0	0	0	16	0
2009–10	23	1	0	0	6	0	29	1
2010–11	26	0	4	1	1	0	31	1
colspan="2"\|Total !65	1	4	1	7	0	76	2
rowspan="3"\|Rosenborg	2011	rowspan="2"\|Tippeligaen	12	0	1	0	2	0	15	0
2012	12	0	1	0	9	0	23	0
colspan="2"\|Total !24	0	2	0	11	0	37	0
AmaZulu	2013–2014	South African Premier Division	4	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
colspan="3"\|Career total !93	1	6	1	18	0	117	2