Ovidy Karuru
{{short description|Zimbabwean footballer (born 1989)}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ovidy Karuru
| image =
| fullname = Ovidy Obvious Karuru[http://www.fussballdaten.de/spieler/karuruovidy/ Ovidy Karuru – Fussballdaten – Die Fußball-Datenbank]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1989|1|23}}
| birth_place = Masvingo, Zimbabwe
| height = 1.81 m
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 = 2001–2006
| youthclubs1 = Masvingo United
| years1 = 2006–2008
| clubs1 = Masvingo United
| caps1 = 50
| goals1 = 15
| years2 = 2009
| clubs2 = Gunners
| caps2 = 19
| goals2 = 8
| years3 = 2009–2012
| clubs3 = Boulogne
| caps3 = 73
| goals3 = 10
| years4 = 2012–2014
| clubs4 = OH Leuven
| caps4 = 32
| goals4 = 1
| years5 = 2014–2016
| clubs5 = Kaizer Chiefs
| caps5 = 5
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2017–2019
| clubs6 = AmaZulu
| caps6 = 59
| goals6 = 8
| years7 = 2020
| clubs7 = Stellenbosch
| caps7 = 7
| goals7 = 1
| years8 = 2020–2021
| clubs8 = Black Leopards
| caps8 = 23
| goals8 = 5
| years9 = 2022
| clubs9 = Al-Shoulla
| caps9 =
| goals9 =
| nationalyears1 = 2007–2009
| nationalteam1 = Zimbabwe U20
| nationalcaps1 = 18
| nationalgoals1 = 4
| nationalyears2 = 2007–
| nationalteam2 = Zimbabwe
| nationalcaps2 = 50
| nationalgoals2 = 7
| club-update = 20:30, 19 June 2020 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update = 14:38, 13 July 2021 (UTC)
}}
Ovidy Obvious Karuru (born January 23, 1989) is a Zimbabwean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. He is currently playing for the Zimbabwe national team.{{Soccerway|86394|accessdate=18 February 2017}}
Club career
Karuru began his career with Masvingo United F.C. and joined Newcastle United F.C. for a trial in March 2008.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110718154915/http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com/story.php?art_id=3705&cat=9 Karuru fails at Newcastle united]}} After two years in the senior side for Masvingo United he joined Gunners Football Club Harare in January 2009.{{NFT player|27533}}
After only a half-year with Harare, he was sold to Ligue 1 team US Boulogne in the summer of 2009.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.com/story/664174/ligue-1-transferts-le-zimbabwéen-ovidy-karuru-signe-à-boulogne|title=Ligue 1 - Transferts - Le Zimbabwéen Ovidy Karuru signe à Boulogne|website=ESPNFC.com|access-date=2018-05-18}} With Boulogne he relegated twice in three seasons, ending up in the Championnat National in 2012, when he moved to OH Leuven in the Belgian Pro League. He made his league debut for the club on 15 September 2012 in a 1–0 home loss against Zulte Waregem replacing Evariste Ngolok in the 72nd minute.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2012/09/15/belgium/pro-league/fc-oud-heverlee-leuven/sv-zulte-waregem/1289778/|title=Leuven vs. Zulte-Waregem – 15 September 2012 – Soccerway|website=int.soccerway.com}} He scored his first league goal for the club on 20 October 2012 in a 4–1 home victory over Club Brugge. After being brought on in the 46th minute for Derick Ogbu, Karuru scored the fourth and final goal of the match for his side in the 81st minute. The assist came from Ebrahima Sawaneh.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2012/10/20/belgium/pro-league/fc-oud-heverlee-leuven/club-brugge-kv/1289811/|title=Leuven vs. Club Brugge – 20 October 2012 – Soccerway|website=int.soccerway.com}} He joined Chiefs on 22 July 2014 as a free agent after opting not to renew his contract with OH Leuven, who were relegated from the Jupiler League at the end of the 2013–14 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/categories/south-africa/ovidy-karuru-to-be-unveiled-as-kaizer-chiefs-player/170167|title=Karuru signs for Chiefs - Ovidy Karuru to be unveiled as Kaizer Chiefs player|website=soccerladuma.co.za|date=22 July 2014}}
Karuru joined Kaizer Chiefs and played in a pre-season friendly against Chippa United in which Chiefs won 4–2 in Port Elizabeth. Karuru received his work permit from the South African Department of Home Affairs on 22 August 2014 after a month-long delay.{{cite web|url=http://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/teams/kaizer-chiefs/kaizer-chiefs-ovidy-karuru-has-received-his-work-permit/174551|title=Karuru gets work permit - Kaizer Chiefs' Ovidy Karuru had received his work permit|website=soccerladuma.co.za|date=23 August 2014}} He was released by Kaizer Chiefs on 31 May 2016.{{cite web |url=http://www.kaizerchiefs.com/kc_articles.asp?id=3552594 |title=KAIZER CHIEFS {{!}} KC ARTICLES |website=www.kaizerchiefs.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604113606/http://www.kaizerchiefs.com/kc_articles.asp?id=3552594 |archive-date=2016-06-04}}
In February 2017, Karuru was picked up by South African club AmaZulu F.C. on a one-and-a-half-year deal.{{cite web|url=https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/categories/south-africa/ovidy-karuru-has-joined-amazulu/243951|title=Ex-Chiefs Midfielder Signs for AmaZulu - Ovidy Karuru has joined AmaZulu|website=soccerladuma.co.za|date=7 February 2017}} His league debut for the club came on 15 February 2017 in a 2–1 home loss to Mthatha Bucks F.C. He was subbed on for Zola Jingxi in the 61st minute.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2017/02/15/south-africa/1st-division/amazulu/mthatha-bucks/2329048/|title=AmaZulu vs. Mthatha Bucks – 15 February 2017 – Soccerway|website=int.soccerway.com}} His first league goal for the club came on 19 April 2017 in a 3–1 away win over Royal Eagles F.C. His goal, scored in the 69th minute, made the score 2–1 in favour of AmaZulu.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2017/04/19/south-africa/1st-division/sivutsa-stars-f/amazulu/2329106/|title=Royal Eagles vs. AmaZulu – 19 April 2017 – Soccerway|website=int.soccerway.com}}
On 29 January 2022, Karuru joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Shoulla.{{cite web |title=Breaking: Ovidy Karuru completes transfer to Saudi club |date=29 January 2022 |url=https://www.soccer24.co.zw/2022/01/29/breaking-ovidy-karuru-completes-transfer-to-saudi-club/}}
International career
Karuru is a former member of the Zimbabwe national under-20 football team and was with them as part of the 2009 African Nations Championship,{{Cite news|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200903100575.html|title=Zimbabwe: Karuru in Chan Team|last=Sharuko|first=Robson|date=2009-03-10|work=The Herald (Harare)|access-date=2018-05-18}} he was also given captaincy of the team.{{Cite news|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200801160040.html|title=Zimbabwe: Karuru's Big Break|last=Sharuko|first=Robson|date=2008-01-16|work=The Herald (Harare)|access-date=2018-05-18}}
Career statistics
=Club=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Club statistics | ||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|CupIncludes the Nedbank Cup. !colspan="2"|League CupIncludes the Telkom Knockout. !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|OtherIncludes the MTN 8. !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="4"|AmaZulu
|13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 | ||
| 2017–18
|rowspan="2"|South African Premier Division |25 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 26 | 4 | ||
| 2018–19
|21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 23 | 3 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!59 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 63 | 9 | ||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!59 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 63 | 9 |
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
=International=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="14"|Zimbabwe | |||
| 2007 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 7 | 6 | |
| 2018 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 6 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total | 38 | 7 |
=International goals=
:Scores and results list Zimbabwe's goal tally first.
| class="wikitable"
! No !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition | ||||||
| 1. | 4 September 2011 | National Sports Stadium, Harare, Zimbabwe | {{fb|LBR}} | align=center | 2–0 | align=center | 3–0 | 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 2. | rowspan="2" | 26 June 2017 | rowspan="2" | Moruleng Stadium, Moruleng, South Africa | rowspan="2" | {{fb|MOZ}} | align=center | 1–0 | rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"| 4–0 | rowspan="2" | 2017 COSAFA Cup |
| 3. | align=center | 2–0 | |||||
| 4. | rowspan="3" | 30 June 2017 | rowspan="3" | Moruleng Stadium, Moruleng, South Africa | rowspan="3" | {{fb|SEY}} | align=center | 1–0 | rowspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 6–0 | rowspan="3" | 2017 COSAFA Cup |
| 5. | align=center | 2–0 | |||||
| 6. | align="center" | 4–0 | |||||
| 7. | 2 July 2017 | Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Phokeng, South Africa | {{fb|SWZ|name=Swaziland}} | align=center | 1–0 | align=center | 2–1 | 2017 COSAFA Cup |
Honours
Masvingo United
Kaizer Chiefs
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Zimbabwe squad 2019 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Karuru, Ovidy}}
Category:Zimbabwean men's footballers
Category:Zimbabwe men's international footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Footballers from Harare
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in France
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Saudi Arabia
Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in South Africa
Category:Zimbabwean expatriate sportspeople in Saudi Arabia
Category:Zimbabwean expatriates in South Africa
Category:Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League players
Category:Championnat National players
Category:Belgian Pro League players
Category:South African Premier Division players
Category:National Football League (South Africa) players
Category:Saudi First Division League players
Category:Masvingo United F.C. players
Category:Oud-Heverlee Leuven players
Category:Kaizer Chiefs F.C. players
Category:Stellenbosch F.C. players
Category:Black Leopards F.C. players
Category:Al-Shoulla FC players
Category:2019 Africa Cup of Nations players
Category:Zimbabwe men's youth international footballers
Category:2009 African Nations Championship players
Category:Zimbabwe men's A' international footballers
Category:21st-century Zimbabwean sportsmen