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Kwasi Poku

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Kwasi Poku
Personal information
Date of birth (2003-02-06) February 6, 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Striker, Left back
Team information
Current team
 RWD Molenbeek
Number 20
Youth career
Brampton East SC
Woodbridge Strikers
2018 Unionville Milliken SC
2019–2022 Toronto FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021 Toronto FC III 4 (0)
2021 Toronto FC II 1 (0)
2022–2024 Forge FC 60 (11)
2023 → Sigma FC (loan) 1 (0)
2024– RWD Molenbeek 8 (2)
International career‡
2022 Canada U20 5 (0)
2024– Canada 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of November 3, 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of October 15, 2024

Kwasi Poku (born February 6, 2003) is a Canadian professional soccer player who currently plays for Challenger Pro League club RWD Molenbeek and the Canada national team.

Early life

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Poku began playing youth soccer at age six with Brampton East SC.[1] He later played youth soccer with the Woodbridge Strikers, with whom he won the 2017 U14 Ontario Indoor Cup, scoring a hat-trick against Ottawa St. Anthony.[2] He was also part of the provincial Team Ontario that year.[3] He later played for Unionville Milliken SC for about six months, before joining the Toronto FC Academy, after impressing in a match against TFC while with Unionville in November 2018 and being invited for a tryout.[4][5] He departed the Toronto FC Academy in February 2022.[5]

Club career

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Toronto FC

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In 2021, he played with Toronto FC III in the League1 Ontario Summer Championship division making his debut on July 31 against Alliance United.[6] After the season, he joined the second team Toronto FC II in USL League One. He made his debut on October 1, 2021 against North Carolina FC.[7] In February 2022, he departed the Toronto FC organization.[8]

Forge FC

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In February 2022, he signed a professional contract with Canadian Premier League side Forge FC.[9] He made his debut for his new club on February 16 in a 2022 CONCACAF Champions League match against Cruz Azul.[10][11] Poku scored his first goal on October 9, 2022 in a 1–0 victory over the HFX Wanderers.[12]

In January 2023, Poku went on trial with Swedish Allsvenskan club BK Häcken.[13] In 2023, he played one game on loan with Forge's affiliate Sigma FC in League1 Ontario.[14] In later September 2023, he was named the CPL player of the week.[15] At the end of the 2023 season, he was nominated for the CPL U21 Player of the Year award.[16][17] In October of the same year, he helped Forge win their fourth league title, following a 2–1 win over Cavalry FC in the play-off final.[18]

During the 2024 season, he was moved from his typical left-back position to centre forward, after several injuries to the team's forwards.[19][20][21] On June 23, 2024, he scored a brace in a 2–1 victory over Valour FC.[22][23] He was named the league's Player of the Month for June 2024.[24] On July 10, he scored a backheel goal against Major League Soccer club Toronto FC in a 2-1 victory in the first leg of the 2024 Canadian Championship semi-finals.[25] On July 14, he scored another brace in a 2–1 victory over Pacific FC,[26] earning league Player of the Week honours.[27] In August 2024, he began to be held out of matches for precautionary reasons, amid transfer interest from foreign clubs.[28][29][30] At the end of the 2024 season (even though he had already departed the club), he was named the Canadian Premier League's Best Canadian Under-21 Player Award.[31]

RWD Molenbeek

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On August 21, 2024, Poku transferred to RWD Molenbeek of the Challenger Pro League for an undisclosed CPL-record transfer fee.[32][33] He made his debut on August 23 against Eupen.[34] On September 21, he scored his first goals for the club, netting a brace in a 3-0 victory over Jong Genk.[35]

International career

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Born in Canada, Poku is of Ghanaian descent.[36] In April 2022, he was called up to the Canadian Under-20 team for two matches against Costa Rica.[37] In June 2022, he was named to the Canadian U-20 team for the 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.[38] He appeared in all four of the team's matches, playing a total of 385 minutes, prior to their elimination in the round of 16.[39]

In October 2024, Poku was called up to the Canadian senior national team for the first time, for a friendly match against Panama.[40][41] He made his debut in that match, in a substitute appearance, on October 15.[42][43]

Career statistics

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As of November 1, 2024[44]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Playoffs Domestic Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Forge FC 2022 Canadian Premier League 20 1 1 0 3[a] 0 2 0 26 1
2023 23 2 2 0 1 0 — 26 2
2024 17 8 0 0 4 2 1 0 22 10
Total 60 11 3 0 8 2 3 0 74 13
RWDM 2024–25 Challenger Pro League 8 2 — 2 1 — 10 3
Career total 68 13 3 0 10 3 3 0 84 16
  1. ^ Includes appearance in the 2020 Canadian Championship final (played in 2022)

International

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As of match played October 15, 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Canada 2024 1 0
Total 1 0

References

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  1. ^ Kwasi Poku at the Canadian Soccer Association
  2. ^ "Kwasi Poku Leads Woodbridge Strikers to U-14 Boys Ontario Indoor Cup Title". Ontario Soccer Association. January 26, 2017.
  3. ^ "Team Ontario U14 Boys" (PDF). Ontario Soccer Association.
  4. ^ "Forge FC signs ex-HFX midfielder Sissoko, local product Poku". Canadian Premier League. February 2, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Molinaro, John (October 13, 2024). "'Dreamers are rewarded': Budding talent Kwasi Poku looks to shine for Canada". Sportsnet.
  6. ^ "Kwasi Poku 2021 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
  7. ^ Martin, Hannah (October 1, 2021). "Match Recap: North Carolina FC Fall to Toronto FC II on the Road". North Carolina FC.
  8. ^ Molinaro, John (October 26, 2023). "Ex-TFC academy product Kwasi Poku set for CPL Final with Forge". TFC Republic.
  9. ^ "Forge FC Sign Midfielders Sissoko & Poku". Forge FC. February 2, 2022.
  10. ^ "Brampton's Kwasi Poku impresses despite Forge loss". Brampton Soccer. February 17, 2022.
  11. ^ Urciuoli, Anthony (August 11, 2022). "'Ready for a little bit of everything:' Kwasi Poku makes big strides in first pro season". Forge FC.
  12. ^ Myrer, George (October 9, 2022). "HFX Wanderers' disappointing season comes to a close with loss to Forge". SaltWire Network.
  13. ^ Jacques, John (January 17, 2023). "Forge's Poku On Trial With BK Hacken". Northern Tribune.
  14. ^ "Kwasi Poku 2023 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
  15. ^ "Kwasi Poku Named CPL Player of the Week for Week 24". Forge FC. September 26, 2023.
  16. ^ "Kwasi Poku Nominated for Best Canadian Under-21 Player". Forge FC. October 17, 2023.
  17. ^ "Cameron, De Brienne, Poku nominated for Best Canadian U-21 Player Award". Canadian Premier League. October 17, 2023.
  18. ^ Tierney, Mitchell (October 28, 2023). "HIGHLIGHTS + ANALYSIS: Forge wins 2023 North Star Cup, defeating Cavalry to lift fourth playoff crown (Oct. 28, 2023)". OneSoccer. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  19. ^ "What makes Kwasi Poku so effective as a striker? - CPL Newsroom pres. by Volkswagen". Canadian Premier League. June 5, 2024.
  20. ^ Tierney, Mitchell (July 3, 2024). "'It plays to my strengths': Why Kwasi Poku is thriving as a striker with Forge FC". Canadian Premier League.
  21. ^ "Kwasi Poku's Explosive Form in the Canadian Premier League: A Rising Star". Forge FC. July 30, 2024.
  22. ^ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (June 23, 2024). "Match Analysis: Early Poku brace lifts Forge over Valour despite back-and-forth second half". Canadian Premier League.
  23. ^ Parkes, David (June 24, 2024). "Forge 2-1 Valour: Poku Gives Valour Hammer Blow". Northern Tribune.
  24. ^ "Forge FC's Kwasi Poku named CPL Player of the Month for June". Canadian Premier League. July 3, 2024.
  25. ^ Parisis, Quentin (July 16, 2024). "14e journée de CPL : L'Atlético Ottawa en forme; Kwasi Poku en feu" [CPL Matchday 14: Atlético Ottawa in form; Kwasi Poku on fire]. Canadian Premier League (in French).
  26. ^ Tierney, Mitchell (July 14, 2024). "Match Analysis: Poku brace powers persistent Forge past Pacific FC at Tim Hortons Field". Canadian Premier League.
  27. ^ "Kwasi Poku Named CPL Player of the Week for Week 14". Forge FC. July 17, 2024.
  28. ^ "Kwasi Poku held out of Forge lineup amid 'interest in the transfer market'". Canadian Premier League. August 15, 2024.
  29. ^ Jacques, John (August 15, 2024). "Poku Absent Amid 'Quite A Bit Of Interest' In Transfer Market". Northern Tribune.
  30. ^ Healey, Josh (August 15, 2024). "Forge FC mulling over multiple offers — with interest from North America and Europe — for Kwasi Poku". Wanderers Notebook.
  31. ^ Rhodes, Benedict (November 7, 2024). "Former Forge striker Kwasi Poku named 2024 CPL Best Canadian U-21 Player". Canadian Premier League.
  32. ^ "Forge FC Announce League Record Transfer Fee of Kwasi Poku to RWD Molenbeek" (Press release). Forge FC. August 21, 2024. Archived from the original on August 21, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  33. ^ "Challenger Pro League - Le Canadien Kwasi Poku signe pour deux ans au RWDM" [Challenger Pro League: Canadian Kwasi Poku signs for two years at RWDM]. La Libre Belgique (in French). Belga. August 21, 2024. Archived from the original on August 21, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  34. ^ Bailey, Mitchell (September 1, 2024). "Canadians Abroad Roundup: Alistair Johnston shining with Celtic, Moïse Bombito shown red, Sigur returns".
  35. ^ "Le RWDM poursuit son sans-faute à Genk (0-3)" [RWDM continues its flawless performance in Genk (0-3)]. BX1 (in French). September 22, 2024.
  36. ^ "Canadian-born Ghanaian youngster Kwasi Poku on trials at BK Häcken". Kick GH. January 17, 2023.
  37. ^ "Bontis & Poku called up to the men's U20 national team camp in Costa Rica". Forge FC. April 5, 2022.
  38. ^ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (June 10, 2022). "6 CPLers named to Canada squad for Concacaf Men's U-20 Championship". Canadian Premier League.
  39. ^ Gangué-Ruzic, Alexandre (September 9, 2023). "'I'm excited to see what's next': After brief taste of Europe, Forge's Kwasi Poku eager to be latest CPL export". OneSoccer.
  40. ^ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (October 2, 2024). "Poku's breakout at Forge to earn European move, CanMNT call-up an ideal template for young Canadians". Canadian Premier League.
  41. ^ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (October 2, 2024). "Former Forge FC star Kwasi Poku named in CanMNT squad for October friendly". Canadian Premier League.
  42. ^ Jones, Chris (October 15, 2024). "21-year-old Kwasi Poku becomes the latest debutant for Jesse Marsch's ambitious Canadian men's soccer team". CBC Sports.
  43. ^ O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (October 15, 2024). "'I want to be an inspiration': Poku reflects on rapid ascent from CPL to CanMNT debut". Canadian Premier League.
  44. ^ Kwasi Poku at Soccerway
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