Carlos Akapo

Carlos Akapo Martínez (born 12 March 1993) is an Equatoguinean professional footballer who plays for Major League Soccer club San Jose Earthquakes and the Equatorial Guinea national team as a right-back or central defender.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Akapo and the second or maternal family name is Martínez.
Carlos Akapo
Akapo with Equatorial Guinea in 2022
Personal information
Full name Carlos Akapo Martínez[1]
Date of birth (1993-03-12) 12 March 1993[1]
Place of birth Elche, Spain
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 San Jose Earthquakes
Number 29
Youth career
1998–2008 Kelme
2008–2009 Hércules
2009–2011 Elche
2011–2012 Huracán
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Huracán 24 (0)
2013–2014 Numancia 29 (0)
2014–2016 Valencia B 39 (0)
2016–2019 Huesca 61 (0)
2019–2022 Cádiz 45 (1)
2022– San Jose Earthquakes 21 (2)
International career‡
2013– Equatorial Guinea 28 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 08:07, 7 September 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 08:07, 7 September 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Akapo was born in Elche, Province of Alicante, to an Equatoguinean father and a Spanish mother. He played youth football with four clubs, including Hércules CF and Elche CF, and finished his development also in the Valencian Community with Huracán Valencia CF.[2][3] He made his senior debut with the latter on 22 January 2012, in a 2–1 home loss against RCD Mallorca B.[4]

On 11 July 2013, Akapo signed a two-year contract with Segunda División side CD Numancia.[5] His first game as a professional took place on 25 August, as he started in a 4–2 home win over Real Jaén.[6]

On 6 August 2014, Akapo joined Valencia CF and was assigned to the reserves in the third tier.[7] After two seasons of relative playing time, he returned to division two after agreeing to a three-year deal at SD Huesca on 14 June 2016.[8]

Akapo was regularly used the following campaigns, and contributed 20 appearances in 2017–18 as the club achieved a first-ever promotion to La Liga.[9] He made his debut in the competition on 25 September 2018, replacing Luisinho in a 3–0 defeat at Atlético Madrid.[10]

On 20 June 2019, after suffering immediate relegation, Akapo signed a three-year contract with Cádiz CF of the second division, as a free agent.[11][12] He featured sparingly in his first season at the Estadio Ramón de Carranza, in a promotion as runners-up.[13]

Akapo scored his first goal in the Spanish top tier – also his first as a senior – on 21 May 2021, his team's second in the 2–2 away draw against Levante UD.[14] On 5 August 2022, he joined Major League Soccer side San Jose Earthquakes on a one-and-half year deal.[15]

International career

Akapo received his first call from Equatorial Guinea in late August 2012, for a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Congo DR the following month.[16] He did not leave the bench in the 4–0 loss, making his debut on 5 June 2013 in a friendly with Togo.[17]

Akapo's first major tournament was the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[18] He played all the minutes but one in Cameroon to help his team reach the quarter-finals; in the round of 16 against Mali, he converted his attempt in the penalty shootout.[19]

Personal life

Akapo's younger brother, Javier, is also a defender and an international for Equatorial Guinea.[20]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 21 May 2021[21][22]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Huracán 2011–12 Segunda División B 3000—30
2012–13 210002[lower-alpha 1]0230
Total 2400020260
Numancia 2013–14 Segunda División 29010—300
Valencia B 2014–15 Segunda División B 110——110
2015–16 280——280
Total 3900000390
Huesca 2016–17 Segunda División 280302[lower-alpha 1]0330
2017–18 20010—210
2018–19 La Liga 13010—140
Total 6105020680
Cádiz 2019–20 Segunda División 7020—90
2020–21 La Liga 13130—161
Total 2015000251
Career total 1731110401881
  1. Appearance(s) in Promotion Playoffs

International
As of match played 17 June 2023[23]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Equatorial Guinea 201330
201540
201641
201820
201910
202020
202160
202250
202310
Total281
As of 4 September 2016
Scores and results list Equatorial Guinea's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Akapo goal.
List of international goals scored by Carlos Akapo
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 4 September 2016Estadio de Malabo, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea10 South Sudan4–04–02017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification[24]

References
  1. "Carlos Akapo". Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  2. Martín, Diego (26 February 2013). "Entrevista a Carlos Akapo (Huracán Valencia)" [Interview to Carlos Akapo (Huracán Valencia)] (in Spanish). Falso 9. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  3. Palomar, Julián (18 November 2013). "Un ilicitano en Malabo" [A ilicitano in Malabo]. Diario Información (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  4. "Crónica 2ª Div. B: Huracán Valencia 1–2 Mallorca B" [2 Div. B report: Huracán Valencia 1–2 Mallorca B] (in Spanish). Fútbol Balear. 22 January 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  5. "Akapo y Gaffoor refuerzan la defensa del Numancia" [Akapo and Gaffoor bolster Numancia's defence]. Marca (in Spanish). 11 July 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  6. "4–2: El Numancia gana de cabeza al Jaén" [4–2: Numancia beat Jaén using their head]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 25 August 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
  7. "El Valencia ficha al lateral Carlos Akapo, que llega del Numancia" [Valencia sign full-back Carlos Akapo, who arrives from Numancia]. Marca (in Spanish). 6 August 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  8. "Carlos Akapo ficha por la SD Huesca" [Carlos Akapo signs for SD Huesca] (in Spanish). SD Huesca. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  9. Sánchez-Flor, Ulises (22 May 2018). "El milagro del ascenso del Huesca a Primera: 8 millones y el 'cerebro' que no quiso Zidane" [The miracle of Huesca's promotion to Primera: 8 million and the 'brain' that Zidane did not want]. El Confidencial (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  10. Muñoz, Elena (25 September 2018). "Atlético 3 – Huesca 0: resultado, resumen y goles. LaLiga Santander" [Atlético 3 – Huesca 0: score, highlights and goals. LaLiga Santander]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  11. "Akapo es el primer fichaje de la nueva temporada" [Akapo is the first signing of the new season] (in Spanish). Cádiz CF. 20 June 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  12. González, Eugenio (20 June 2019). "Carlos Akapo, primer fichaje del Cádiz CF 2019/20" [Carlos Akapo, first signing of 2019/20 Cádiz] (in Spanish). Tercer Equipo. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  13. "Carlos Akapo" (in Spanish). La Voz Digital. 9 September 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  14. Adewoye, Gbenga (21 May 2021). "Carlos Akapo scores first La Liga goal as Cadiz end season with draw against Levante". Goal. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  15. "NEWS: Earthquakes sign defender Carlos Akapo". San Jose Earthquakes. 5 August 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  16. "Los jugadores Akapo y Fabiani, convocados por Guinea Ecuatorial" [Players Akapo and Fabiani, called by Equatorial Guinea]. Diario Sur (in Spanish). 29 August 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  17. "Amistoso: Nzalang (0) – Togo (1)" [Friendly: Nzalang (0) – Togo (1)] (in Spanish). Fútbol de Guinea Ecuatorial. 6 June 2013. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  18. "Afcon 2021: Clubless Nsue named in Equatorial Guinea squad for Cameroon". BBC Sport. 27 December 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  19. "Mali 0–0 Equatorial Guinea". BBC Sport. 26 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  20. Bernabeu, Álvaro (30 April 2020). "Carlos y Javier Akapo: Dos hermanos y defensas de categoría" [Carlos and Javier Akapo: Two brothers and top-flight footballers] (in Spanish). Golsmedia. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  21. Carlos Akapo at BDFutbol
  22. Carlos Akapo at Soccerway
  23. "Carlos Akapo – Matches". Soccerway. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  24. "Contundente victoria del Nzalang Nacional frente a Sudán del Sur" [Powerful win for Nzalang Nacional against South Sudan] (in Spanish). Guinea Ecuatorial Press. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
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