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Fatawu Safiu

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Fatawu Safiu
Personal information
Full name Abdul Fatawu Safiu
Date of birth (1994-07-16) July 16, 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Techiman, Ghana
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Trollhättan
Number 49
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Liberty Professionals 2 (0)
2013–2017 International Allies 10 (5)
2013 → Vimmerby IF (loan) 20 (7)
2015 → Portland Timbers 2 (loan) 23 (7)
2016 → Whitecaps FC 2 (loan) 24 (4)
2017 → Shirak (loan) 7 (0)
2018 Eleven Wonders 4 (2)
2018–2019 Asante Kotoko 14 (10)
2019–2021 Trelleborgs FF 49 (10)
2021– Trollhättan 14 (1)
International career‡
2019– Ghana 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 November 2021
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11 June 2019

Abdul Fatawu Safiu (born July 16, 1994) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Swedish club Trollhättan.

Club career

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Early career

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Safiu began his career with Liberty Professionals, before moving to International Allies in 2013. He had loan spells with Swedish side Vimmerby IF in 2013, and American United Soccer League side Portland Timbers 2 in 2015[1] and Whitecaps FC 2 in 2016.[2]

Inter Allies

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In 2014, after returning from his loan with Vimmerby IF. He came back to play the second round of the 2013–14 Ghana Premier League.[3] He played 14 matches in all competitions, scored 7 goals and made 4 assists, in the process he helping them to avoid relegation and place 6th on the league table.[4] He also led them to their first Ghanaian FA Cup final after scoring the only goal in the semi-final against Feyenoord.[5][6][7] They however lost in the finals to Kumasi Asante Kotoko.[8]

FC Shirak

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In February 2017, Safiu signed a six-month loan deal with FC Shirak,[9] leaving on 9 June 2017. In his short loan spell won his first professional trophy after FC Shirak scored Pyunik 3–0 in the final to win the 2016–17 Armenian Cup.[10]

Eleven Wonders

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In April 2018, Safiu joined for his hometown club Techiman Eleven Wonders as a free agent ahead of their maiden Ghana Premier League campaign.[11] He signed a one-year deal with the newly promoted side.[11] On his debut match on 6 May 2018 against Cape Coast Ebusua Dwarfs, he scored in the 35th minute and proved an assist to veteran striker Alex Asamoah's goal to give them a 2–0 win.[12][13][14] In his short stint with the club, he played 4 matches and scored 2 goals, with the other goal coming on 30 May 2018, in a 2–0 victory over Berekum Chelsea.[15][16]

Asante Kotoko

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Safiu joined Kumasi Asante Kotoko in November 2018, ahead of the 2018–19 CAF Confederation Cup campaign.[17] He was registered and named on the club's official squad list for the CAF tournament.[18] Even though they were eliminated at the group stages, he was one of their standout performers as he scored 3 goals in 10 matches, as Asante Kotoko reached the group stages of the tournament for the first time in 11 years.[19][20] In the league, Safiu scored 10 goals to end up joint top goal scorer (tied with Diawisie Taylor) and help Kotoko clinch the 2019 GFA Normalization Committee Special Competition.[21] At the end of the season, he was adjudged the Ghana Football Awards Home-Based player of the year reflecting the impact he made.[22][21] He beat off competition from his teammate Felix Annan and Accra Hearts of Oak defender Mohammed Alhassan to win the award.[22][21]

Trelleborgs FF

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On 13 August 2019, Swedish club Trelleborgs announced the acquisition Safiu on a permanent deal for the remainder of the 2019 season with an option to extend the deal for a further two years.[23][24] Prior to signing for Superettan side Trelleborgs FF, he went on a two weeks trial fellow Swedish club Helsinborg IF but a deal was not reached after both parties couldn't settle on a transfer price.[25][24] On 26 July 2020, Safiu scored his first career hat-trick after striking thrice in Trelleborgs’ 4–1 defeat of Dalkurd FF in a Superettan match.[26] He scored the first in the 12th minute and scored two quickfire goals in the 41st and 43rd minute to complete a first-half hat-trick. The goals ensured that he ended his eight-month goal drought after scoring against Jönköpings Södra IF on 3 November 2019.[26]

Trollhättan

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On 11 August 2021, Safiu moved to Trollhättan in the Swedish third-tier Ettan Södra.[27]

International career

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Safiu was called up to the Ghana national football team by Kwesi Appiah in June 2019 ahead of a Pre-AFCON friendly match against Namibia. On 10 June 2019, he made his debut after he was named on the starting line up for the game, which ended in a 1–0 to their Namibian counterparts.[28][29]

Personal life

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On 5 January 2019, Safiu married his girlfriend, Adila Jafar, during an Islamic ceremony in the Encom Hotel in his hometown Techiman.[30][31][32]

Honours

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Shirak

Asante Kotoko

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Fatawu Safiu".
  2. ^ "Inter Allies loan striker Abdul Fatawu Safiu to Vancouver Whitecaps II". GhanaSoccernet. 2016-02-11. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  3. ^ Prinz, Kelvin (8 April 2014). "Salifu pleased with scoring form at Inter Allies | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Season Review with striker Abdul Fatawu Safiu – Inter Allies FC". Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  5. ^ "Inter Allies edge unlucky Feyenoord to reach MTN FA Cup final". GhanaSoccernet. 2014-05-11. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  6. ^ Association, Ghana Football. "Inter Allies through to FA Cup final after defeating Feyenoord". www.ghanafa.org. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  7. ^ "Fatawu aims high after FA Cup semis goal – Inter Allies FC". International Allies FC. 16 May 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Kotoko wins MTN FA Cup - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 8 June 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  9. ^ "FC Shirak signed 7 new players". fcshirak.am. FC Shirak. 28 February 2017. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  10. ^ "Երկկողմանի համաձայնությամո խզվեցին պայմանագրերը երեք ֆուտբոլիստների հետ". fcshirak.am (in Armenian). FC Shirak. 9 June 2017. Archived from the original on 20 June 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  11. ^ a b Alhassan, Nuhu (24 April 2018). "Techiman Eleven Wonders snap up former Inter Allies striker Abdul Fatawu Safiu on a free transfer". GhanaSoccernet. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Eleven Wonders striker Fatawu Safiu delighted with debut goal in win over Ebusua Dwarfs". GhanaSoccernet. 2018-05-07. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  13. ^ "Match Report of Eleven Wonders FC vs Cape Coast Ebusua Dwarfs - 2018-05-06 - Zylofon Cash Premier League - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  14. ^ Gyamera-Antwi, Evans (7 May 2018). "Safiu elated with debut goal for Wonders in Ghana Premier League | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  15. ^ "Match Report of Eleven Wonders FC vs Berekum Chelsea FC - 2018-05-30 - Zylofon Cash Premier League - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  16. ^ "Abdul Fatawu Safiu - Soccer player profile & career statistics - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  17. ^ "You must be prayerful to succeed at Asante Kotoko - Godfred Yeboah advises new recruits". GhanaSoccernet. 2018-11-03. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  18. ^ Gyamera-Antwi, Evans (21 January 2019). "Kotoko confirm squad for Caf Confederation Cup | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  19. ^ Gyamera-Antwi, Evans (21 January 2019). "Konadu expects Kotoko not to struggle in group stage | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  20. ^ "Budu's Corner: Is The Best Still To Come From Asante Kotoko's Abdul Fatawu Safiu? - Kickgh.com". www.kickgh.com. Archived from the original on 2023-07-12. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  21. ^ a b c Osman, Abdul Wadudu (2019-07-21). "Ghana football Awards : Abdul Fatawu Safiu wins home-based player of the year". Football Made In Ghana. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  22. ^ a b c "Kotoko's Abdul Fatawu Safiu wins home-based player of the year award". GhanaWeb. 2019-07-22. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  23. ^ Teye, Prince Narkortu (13 August 2019). "Abdul Safiu Fatawu: Trelleborg sign Asante Kotoko and Ghana Special Competition top scorer | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  24. ^ a b "OFFICIAL: Asante Kotoko star Fatawu Safiu joins Swedish side Trelleborgs FF". GhanaSoccernet. 2019-08-13. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  25. ^ a b Osman, Abdul Wadudu (2019-07-26). "Kotoko recall Abdul Fatawu Safiu". Football Made In Ghana. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  26. ^ a b Oludare, Shina (26 July 2020). "Fatawu Safiu scores first career hat-trick as Trelleborgs stroll past Dalkurd FF". Goal. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  27. ^ "FCT förstärker från Superettan" (Press release) (in Swedish). Trollhättan. 11 August 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  28. ^ Darkwah, Frank (10 June 2019). "Black Stars lose to Namibia in Pre-AFCON friendly". Ghana Sports Online. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  29. ^ Darkwah, Frank (10 June 2019). "Black Stars starting XI against Namibia". Ghana Sports Online. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  30. ^ Appiah, Samuel Ekow Amoasi (6 January 2020). "Ex-Asante Kotoko Striker Abdul Fatawu Safiu Weds Girlfriend [PHOTOS]". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  31. ^ "PHOTOS: Fatawu Safiu weds girlfriend Adila". www.clubconsultafrica.org. Retrieved 2021-06-24.
  32. ^ Crabbe, Nathaniel (7 January 2020). "Former Kotoko striker Abdul Safiu Fatawu marries in gorgeous ceremony". Yen.com.gh - Ghana news. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  33. ^ a b "Ghana - S. Fatawu - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". gh.soccerway.com. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
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