Opeyemi Ajakaye
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Opeyemi Esther Ajakaye | ||
| Date of birth | December 30, 2005 | ||
| Height | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Carolina Ascent (on loan from the Kansas City Current) | ||
| Number | 24 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| –2024 | FC Robo | ||
| 2024 | Madrid CFF | 0 | (0) |
| 2024– | Kansas City Current | 0 | (0) |
| 2024– | → Carolina Ascent (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022 | Nigeria U-17 | 6 | (1) |
| 2024– | Nigeria U-20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2023– | Nigeria | 1 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 November 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 September 2024 | |||
Opeyemi Esther Ajakaye (born 30 December 2005) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a striker for USL Super League club Carolina Ascent FC, on loan from the Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), and the Nigeria national team. She won bronze with the Flamingoes at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.
Club career
[edit]Ajakaye transferred from Nigerian club FC Robo to Spanish Liga F club Madrid CFF in February 2024.[1] On 4 October 2024, it was reported that she left the Spanish club to play for an undisclosed club in the United States.[2]
Ajakaye appeared on a gameday roster for USL Super League club Carolina Ascent FC on 10 November 2024.[3] Five days later, the Ascent announced that Ajakaye had been loaned from National Women's Soccer League club Kansas City Current for the rest of the year.[4] She made her club debut as a substitute against Tampa Bay Sun FC on 16 November.[5]
International career
[edit]Ajakaye helped Nigeria win the bronze medal at the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. On 30 October 2022, she scored the first goal for Nigeria in the third place match against Germany, which ended as a 3–3 draw; she then scored the winning penalty to secure the medal.[4][6]
Ajakaye made her senior debut for the Super Falcons on 25 October 2023, substituting for Asisat Oshoala in the last minutes of a 1–1 draw to Ethiopia in the 2024 CAF Women's Olympic qualifying tournament.[7]
On 20 January 2024, Ajakaye scored the only goal against the Burundi U-20s as Nigeria won the last stage of 2024 African U-20 Women's World Cup qualification 2–0 on aggregate.[8] She was included in the squad for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, where Nigeria lost to the eventual finalists Japan in the quarterfinals.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "Oficial – Ajakaye ya es del Madrid CFF". Madrid CFF. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
- ^ "Ajakaye to join Super Falcons stars Oshoala, Alozie, Payne, Kanu in USA; departs Madrid CFF". All Nigeria Soccer. 4 October 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
- ^ "Carolina Ascent vs. Spokane Zephyr 0–0". Soccerway. 10 November 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ a b "Nigerian Youth International Opeyemi Ajakaye Joins Carolina Ascent FC on Loan from Kansas City Current". Carolina Ascent FC. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
- ^ "Carolina Ascent FC Fall on the Road at Tampa Bay Sun". Carolina Ascent. 16 November 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ Ahmed, Abdulateef (31 October 2022). "How Nigeria's Flamingos Beat Germany to Win U17 World Cup Bronze". News Central. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
- ^ Adeleye, Adegboyega (25 October 2023). "2024 Olympic Qualifier: Young striker Ajakaye 'cherishes' Super Falcons debut". Vanguard. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
- ^ Erons, Imhons (20 January 2024). "Colombia 2024: Nigeria 1-0 Burundi (2-0 agg.) – Esther Ajakaye sends Falconets to FIFA U20 Women's World Cup". soccernet.ng. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
- ^ "Falconets crash out of U20 World Cup". Score Nigeria. 13 September 2024. Archived from the original on 13 September 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
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External links
[edit]- Opeyemi Ajakaye at Soccerway.com
