Ifunanyachi Achara

Ifunanyachi Achara (born 28 September 1997) is a Nigerian professional footballer who currently plays for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.[1]

Ifunanyachi Achara
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-09-28) 28 September 1997
Place of birth Enugu, Nigeria
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Toronto FC
Number 99
Youth career
2015 Chicago Magic SC
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2019 Georgetown Hoyas 55 (21)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016 GPS Portland Phoenix 8 (6)
2018–2019 Black Rock FC 19 (11)
2020– Toronto FC 1 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 March 2020

Early life

Acahra was born in Enugu, Nigeria and grew up in the south east of Nigeria,[2] where he lived until 2014 at the age of 16[3] or 17.[4] He was noticed by former Nigerian national team player Jay-Jay Okocha who recommended him for the Nigerian U17 national team. He ultimately failed to make the roster for the team which won the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup.[2]

He played youth soccer with Chicago Magic SC and won 2015 U-17 US National Youth Championship.[5] He attended Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts, where he was named to the High School All-America game Best XI, in his senior year.[2] At Berkshire, he was on the soccer and track teams with his future Black Rock FC and Toronto FC teammate Jacob Shaffelburg.[6]

College career

After high school, Achara attended Georgetown University and played four seasons with the Hoyas in the Big East Conference of the NCAA. He was plagued by injuries throughout his four seasons causing him to miss several games each season.[5] In his junior season, Achara was a First Team All-Big East honoree and a Second Team All-East Region selection.[7] In 2019, he was named a team captain in his senior season,[8] helping it win the 2019 NCAA title,[9] which was the school's first national championship in its program history,[10] and was named to the All-Big East Second Team.[7] Over his four-year career with the Hoyas, he scored 21 goals and seven assists in 55 games.[10]

Club career

GPS Portland Phoenix

Achara appeared for USL PDL side GPS Portland Phoenix in 2016 where he scored six goals in eight matches and helped lead them to win the PDL Northeast Division.[11]

Black Rock FC

While at Georgetown, Achara played with Black Rock FC in USL League Two in 2018 and 2019 where he served as the team captain for both seasons.[12][13] He finished as the joint leading scorer for the team in 2018 with eight goals, tied with Jacob Shaffelburg, as the team won the PDL Northeast Division title.[14] He was named to the PDL Eastern All-Star team in 2018.[15] While at Black Rock, he was ranked as the #13 Top Prospect in USL League Two.[16]

Toronto FC

Achara was selected 25th overall in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft by Toronto FC.[17] After an impressive showing in pre-season, he was signed to the first team on 21 February 2020.[1][18]

Achara made his debut on 7 March 2020, during Toronto FC's season home opener. Achara supplied a man of the match performance. He appeared to score the opening goal in the 11th minute, however the goal would be ruled off-side in a VAR decision.[19] Achara went on to score the only goal of the game in the 81st minute as Toronto beat New York City FC 1–0.[20] During the training camp for the MLS is Back Tournament, following the league stoppage due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Achara tore his ACL, after getting tangled up with teammate Omar Gonzalez during a drill,[21] ending his rookie season after only playing one game.[22][23]

Personal

His family still lives in Engu, Nigeria, while his younger brother, Ugo Achara Jr., has a soccer scholarship to Northwestern University in Chicago, where he is part of the soccer program.[24] In June 2020, following the killing of George Floyd during the COVID-19 pandemic by four member of the Minneapolis Police Department, he spoke out about racism, which he was not aware of until he went to the United States, noting that the way one is treated there boils down to skin colour, and it's sad that is still an issue in society.[4] In October 2020, he started a campaign to raise money for the End SARS campaign to disband the Nigerian Special Anti-Robbery Squad that has a long history of committing abuses.[25]

Career statistics
As of match played on 7 March 2020.[26]
Club Season League Domestic Cup League Playoffs Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GPS Portland Phoenix[27] 2016 PDL86?000—86
Total 86?000—86
Black Rock FC[28] 2018 PDL98—10—108
2019 USL League Two10310——113
Total 19111010—2111
Toronto FC 2020 MLS110000—11
Total 110000—11
Career total 28181010003018

Honours

GPS Portland Phoenix

Black Rock FC

References
  1. Davidson, Neil (21 February 2020). "Toronto FC signs Achara after impressive preseason". The Globe and Mail. Toronto (published 22 February 2020). The Canadian Press. p. S9. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  2. Agbotse, Dele (6 April 2018). "Who Is Georgetown Star Forward Ifunanyachi Achara?". College Soccer News.
  3. Davdison, Neil (22 May 2020). "Toronto FC rookie forward Ifunanyachi Achara thinking of family back home in Nigeria". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. The Canadian Press. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  4. Attfield, Paul (8 June 2020). "Achara hopeful sports can help fight racism". The Globe and Mail. Toronto (published 9 June 2020). p. B1. Retrieved 9 June 2020. But coming to the U.S., I have to understand why people look at me the way they look at me or how they talk to me or how they treat me and it just boils down to your skin colour and it’s just sad that for most people in society today that's still an issue
  5. "Achara Profile". Georgetown University.
  6. Grossi, James (22 February 2020). "Signing with Toronto FC 'means everything' to rookie forward Ifunanyachi Achara". Toronto FC.
  7. "Nealis Selected No. 3, Achara Picked No. 25 in 2020 MLS SuperDraft". Georgetown University. 9 January 2020.
  8. "Nealis, Achara and Dodson Named 2019 Men's Soccer Captains". Georgetown University. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  9. "Toronto FC rookie Achara scores in second straight pre-season game". TSN. The Canadian Press. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  10. Sewall, Drew (23 January 2020). "Nealis, Achara, Nally Will Continue Their Careers in MLS, NWSL". The Hoya.
  11. Gargan, Guy (18 July 2016). "Nor'easters begin playoffs Tuesday night in Maine". Press of Atlantic City.
  12. Smith, Geoff (17 May 2018). "Black Rock FC starts inaugural PDL season this weekend". The Berkshire Eagle.
  13. Smith, Geoff (16 May 2019). "Black Rock FC ready to kick off USL2 campaign". The Berkshire Eagle.
  14. Smith, Geoff (10 July 2018). "Black Rock FC wins PDL Northeast Division title in first season". Berkshire Eagle.
  15. Coreschi, Colton (31 July 2018). "2018 PDL All-Eastern Conference Team". Premier Development League (PDL). Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  16. Smith, Geoff (30 May 2019). "Black Rock FC makes home debut Friday against GPS Portland Phoenix". The Berkshire Eagle.
  17. Davidson, Neil (16 February 2020). "Nigerian rookie Ifunanyachi Achara is making a name with Toronto FC – just not his first name". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. The Canadian Press. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  18. Bogert, Tom (21 February 2020). "Toronto FC sign forward Ifunanyachi Achara after stellar preseason". MLS Soccer.
  19. West, Phil (7 March 2020). "Who is Ifunanyachi Achara? Nigerian SuperDraft pick scores for Toronto FC in MLS debut". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  20. Davidson, Neil (7 March 2020). "Nigerian rookie Achara's late goal lifts Toronto FC past New York City FC". CBC. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  21. Davidson, Neil (2 July 2020). "Toronto FC lose impressive rookie Achara for the season due to knee injury". Toronto Star.
  22. "Toronto FC rookie Ifunanyachi Achara out for season with torn left ACL". The Globe and Mail. 2 July 2020. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  23. Buffery, Steve (2 July 2020). "Achara's absence will be felt deeply by Toronto FC". Toronto Sun.
  24. Kingsley, Igho (26 May 2020). "Not The First Time Achara's Been Quarantined". All Nigeria Soccer.
  25. Davidson, Neil (28 October 2020). "Toronto FC rookie Ifunanyachi Achara looks to help those in need back home in Nigeria". Toronto Star.
  26. Ifunanyachi Achara at Soccerway
  27. "GPS Portland Phoenix". USL League Two. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  28. "Black Rock FC - 2018 Regular Season - Roster - #10 - Ifunanyachi Achara -". USL League Two. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
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