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Stephen Afrifa

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Stephen Afrifa
Personal information
Full name Stephen Afrifa-Kodua
Date of birth (2001-02-19) February 19, 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Sporting Kansas City
Number 30
Youth career
Rexdale SC
Woodbridge Strikers
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2022 FIU Panthers 63 (23)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018 Woodbridge Strikers 2 (0)
2022 One Knoxville SC 13 (8)
2023– Sporting Kansas City 27 (4)
2023– → Sporting Kansas City II (loan) 10 (1)
International career‡
2024– Canada 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 19, 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of September 10, 2024

Stephen Afrifa-Kodua (born February 19, 2001) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City and the Canada national team.

College career

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In 2019, Afrifa began attending Florida International University, where he played for the men's soccer team.[1] He made his collegiate debut on August 30, 2019 against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies.[2] The following day, he scored his first collegiate goal, in a victory over the James Madison Dukes.[3] After his junior season in 2021, he was named to the All-Conference USA First Team and the All-Southeast Region First Team.[4][5]

Ahead of his senior season in 2022, he was named to the United Soccer Coaches Watch List and the AAC Preseason All-Conference Team.[6][7] That season, he was twice named the AAC Offensive Player of the Week.[8][9] That season, he led the in goals scored with 10 and added four assists for a total of 24 points, which were all career highs for him.[10][11] He helped FIU to win the 2022 American Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles and was named the AAC Championship Most Outstanding Offensive Player and was named to the All-Tournament team.[12][13] At the end of the season he was named to the All-AAC First Team,[14] All-East Region First Team,[15] and the All-America Second Team.[16][17] He was also named a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, which is awarded to the top collegiate player of the season.[18] Over his four seasons, he scored 23 goals and added 11 assists in 63 appearances.[19][20]

Club career

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In 2018, Afrifa played with the Woodbridge Strikers in League1 Ontario, making two appearances.[21]

In March 2022, he joined One Knoxville SC in USL League Two.[22] He scored 10 goals for the side between the season and the playoffs.[23]

In December 2022, he was selected in the first round (eighth overall) in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by Sporting Kansas City.[24][25] In April 2023, he signed a professional contract with the club for the 2023 season, with club options from 2024 to 2026.[26][27] He made his MLS debut on May 17, in a substitute appearance against Los Angeles FC.[28] He also spent some time that season with the second team, Sporting Kansas City II, in MLS Next Pro, scoring his first professional goal on July 2, in a 7-1 victory over Whitecaps FC 2.[29][30]

International career

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In February 2024, Afrifa was named to the Canadian provisional roster for the 2024 Copa América qualifying play-offs against Trinidad and Tobago.[31] In August 2024, he received his first main squad call-up to Canada ahead of friendlies against the United States and Mexico.[32] Afrifa made his debut in the first friendly against the USA on September 7, as a late substitute in a 2-1 victory.[33]

Personal

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Afrifa is of Ghanaian descent.[34] He has a twin brother, Simon, who also played soccer with him at FIU.[23]

Career statistics

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As of match played October 19, 2024[35]
Club Season League Playoffs National cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Woodbridge Strikers 2018[21] League1 Ontario 2 0 0 0 — 0 0 2 0
One Knoxville SC 2022 USL League Two 13 8 3 2 — — 16 10
Sporting Kansas City 2023 Major League Soccer 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 0
2024 24 4 0 0 3 1 3 1 30 6
Total 27 4 0 0 4 1 3 1 34 6
Sporting Kansas City II (loan) 2023 MLS Next Pro 8 1 1 0 — — 9 1
2024 2 0 0 0 — — 2 0
Total 10 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 11 1
Career total 51 13 4 2 3 1 3 1 61 17

International

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As of match played September 10, 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Canada 2024 2 0
Total 2 0

References

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  1. ^ "Men's Soccer Welcomes Newcomers". FIU Panthers. August 28, 2019.
  2. ^ "Panthers Rout Bonnies in Season Opener". FIU Panthers. August 31, 2019.
  3. ^ "FIU Downs No. 17 James Madison at Home". FIU Panthers. August 31, 2019.
  4. ^ "FIU Men's Soccer Garners 10 All-Conference USA Selections". FIU Panthers. November 9, 2021.
  5. ^ "FIU Places Four Panthers on United Soccer Coaches All-Region Teams". FIU Panthers. December 7, 2021.
  6. ^ "Afrifa Named to United Soccer Coaches Watch List". FIU Panthers. August 16, 2022.
  7. ^ "Three Panthers Earn Preseason All-Conference Honors". FIU Panthers. August 23, 2022.
  8. ^ "Afrifa and Harr Named The American Players of the Week". FIU Panthers. September 5, 2022.
  9. ^ "September 19, 2023". FIU Panthers.
  10. ^ Carmenate, Achilles (December 21, 2023). "Stephen Afrifa Selected Eighth Overall by Sporting Kansas City in MLS SuperDraft". FIU Panthers.
  11. ^ "Stephen Afrifa FIU profile". FIU Panthers.
  12. ^ Bell, Thad (December 21, 2023). "Sporting Kansas City selects Stephen Afrifa with the eighth pick in the MLS SuperDraft". The Blue Testament.
  13. ^ Kovzan, Sam (April 26, 2023). "Sporting KC signs 22-year-old forward Stephen Afrifa". Sporting Kansas City.
  14. ^ Carmenate, Achilles (November 9, 2022). "Men's Soccer Places Five on The American's All-Conference Teams". FIU Panthers.
  15. ^ Carmenate, Achilles (December 8, 2022). "Afrifa and Scheckermann Named to USC All-East Region Teams". FIU Panthers.
  16. ^ Carmenate, Achilles (December 8, 2022). "Stephen Afrifa Named United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-America". FIU Panthers.
  17. ^ "Ahlander, Afrifa, Fazio Earn All-America Honors". American Athletic Conference. December 9, 2022.
  18. ^ Carmenate, Achilles (December 7, 2022). "Stephen Afrifa Named Hermann Trophy Semifinalist". FIU Panthers.
  19. ^ Sperry, Daniel (December 21, 2022). "Sporting KC selects Stephen Afrifa from FIU with No. 8 pick in annual MLS SuperDraft". The Kansas City Star.
  20. ^ "Canada's Bombito, Afrifa selected in top 10 of MLS SuperDraft". CBC Sports. December 21, 2022.
  21. ^ a b "Stephen Afrifa-Kodua 2018 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
  22. ^ Morgan-Rumsey, Camruinn (March 8, 2022). "One Knoxville Sporting Club reveals player lineup, including 5 Knoxville natives". WVLT-TV.
  23. ^ a b Venkataraman, Karthik (July 29, 2022). "The brotherly connection for One Knoxville SC". WBIR-TV.
  24. ^ Kovzan, Sam (December 21, 2023). "Sporting KC selects forward Stephen Afrifa and defender Chris Rindov in MLS SuperDraft 2023 presented by adidas". Sporting Kansas City.
  25. ^ Truong, Wilson (December 21, 2022). "Sporting KC selects forward Stephen Afrifa in 2023 MLS SuperDraft". KSHB-TV.
  26. ^ Smith, Chad (April 28, 2023). "Dom Dwyer Not Signing, Afrifa Signs, Open Cup Opponent". KC Soccer Journal.
  27. ^ "Sporting Kansas City sign forward Stephen Afrifa". Major League Soccer. April 26, 2023.
  28. ^ Kovzan, Sam (May 18, 2023). "Recap: Russell nets equalizer as Sporting extends unbeaten run in 1-1 draw at LAFC". Sporting Kansas City.
  29. ^ Belzer, Jared (July 2, 2023). "Recap: Sporting KC II wipes out Whitecaps FC 2 7-1 at Rock Chalk Park". Sporting Kansas City.
  30. ^ Becker, Connor (July 3, 2023). "Sporting KC II opens July with 7-1 blowout over Whitecaps FC 2". Lawrence Journal-World.
  31. ^ "Concacaf Nations League Play-In preliminary rosters announced". Concacaf.com. February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  32. ^ Kovsan, Sam (August 27, 2024). "Sporting KC forward Stephen Afrifa selected to Canada Men's National Team for September friendlies". Sporting Kansas City.
  33. ^ Nightingale, Tom (September 7, 2024). "Canada blow USMNT out the water as Shaffelburg, David give CanMNT emphatic 2-1 win". Canadian Soccer Daily.
  34. ^ Villa, Walter (September 21, 2022). "FIU scorer Stephen Afrifa is up to speed as the Panthers' top scoring threat". Miami Herald.
  35. ^ Stephen Afrifa at Soccerway
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