Ismail Abdul-Ganiyu

Ismail Abdul-Ganiyu (born 12 June 1996) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as defender and captains Ghana Premier League side Asante Kotoko S.C.[1][2]

Ismail Abdul-Ganiyu
Personal information
Date of birth (1996-06-12) 12 June 1996
Place of birth Wa, Ghana
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Asante Kotoko
Number 30
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2016 Wa All Stars 33+ (4+)
2017–2018 Karela United 15 (2)
2018–2022 Asante Kotoko 69 (6)
International career‡
2021– Ghana 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:54, 29 March 2021 (UTC)

He began his career with Wa All Stars and before signing for Karela United in September 2017. He won the Ghana Premier League and Ghana Super Cup with Wa All Stars before joining Karela, then later Asante Kotoko in October 2018. Abdul-Ganiyu made his international debut for Ghana in 2021 against South Africa.

Club career

Wa All Stars

Abdul-Ganiyu started his career in his hometown Wa with Wa All Stars in 2013. In February 2014, he scored a free-kick against Accra Hearts of Oak as All Stars won by 3–0.[3] On 18 June 2015, he scored from the spot-kick to help Wa All Stars to a 2–0 victory over Hearts of Oak.[4][5] In 2016, he formed a formidable defensive partnership with Ishaku Konda and Hafiz Adams as Wa All Stars won the Ghana Premier League in the 2016 season. En route to the title the trio helped the team to secure the title and earn the best defensive record of the season by conceding 22 goals in 30 matches.[6] During the title winning season, he played 26 league matches and scored a goal.[7] On 22 January 2017, he won the Ghana Super Cup as Wa All Stars scored Bechem United via a lone goal by Emmnauel Ocran.[8]

Karela United

In September 2017, Abdul-Ganiyu signed for newly promoted Ghana Premier League side Karela United.[9] He made his debut for Karela on 17 March 2018, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 loss to regional rivals Medeama.[10] He scored his debut goal by scoring a penalty in a 3–1 victory over his future club Asante Kotoko.[11] Abdul-Ganiyu played 90 minutes in all 15 league matches, scored two goals and won three man of the match awards before the league was cancelled due to the Anas Number 12 Expose.[12]

Asante Kotoko

In October 2018, Abdul-Ganiyu signed a three-year contract deal for Kumasi Asante Kotoko from Karela United.[12] On 31 March 2019, he made his debut during the 2019 GFA Normalization Competition starting alongside Wahab Adams in defence as Kotoko defeated Aduana Stars by 1–0.[13] He scored his first goal for Asante Kotoko by scoring a penalty in a 1–0 league win against Eleven Wonders on 5 May 2019.[14] He played the full 90 minutes in all 14 matches as Kotoko clinched the Normalization Competition.[7] In the championship play-off final, he converted his penalty kick to push Kotoko to a 4–1 penalty shootout after the match had ended in a 1–1 draw.[15][16] On 22 December 2019, he won his second trophy with the club, after Asante Kotoko defeated their rivals Hearts of Oak by 2–1 victory in the President's Cup.[17] Three years after joining the club, on 7 October 2021, he was named as the new club captain by manager Prosper Narteh Ogum following the departure of Felix Annan and Emmanuel Gyamfi.[18]

International career

In 2014, Abdul-Ganiyu was a member of the Ghana U-23 team. He was a member of the Black Meteors squad that lost to Nigeria by 1–0 during the official opening of the newly built Akpa Ibom Stadium in Uyo on 7 November 2014.[19][20]

In May 2016, he was called up to the Ghana A' national team ahead of the 2016 MS&AD Cup against Japan under-23 team.[21] The MS&AD Cup is organized by an international friendly match organized by MS&AD Insurance Group, with the 2016 edition also being used to raise funds for the victims of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. Abdul-Ganiyu started the match, however Ghana lost by 3–0 to Japan U-23.[22][23]

In March 2021, Abdul-Ganiyu was handed his first Ghana national team call up by head coach, C. K. Akonnor, for Ghana's final two 2021 African Cup of Nations qualifiers against South Africa and São Tomé and Príncipe.[24] On 25 March 2021, he made his debut for the Black Stars, starting in the AFCON qualifiers against South Africa which ended in a 1–1 draw.[25]

Honours

Wa All Stars

Asante Kotoko

References
  1. "The ultimate 18-team Ghana Premier League season guide 2020/21 - MyJoyOnline.com". My Joy Online. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  2. "VIDEO: Kotoko's Ismail Abdul Ganiyu steps up injury recover". Ghana Sports Online. 2 January 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  3. "Hearts disastrous campaign continue with second All Stars defeat". GhanaSoccernet. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  4. "Hearts suffer chastening defeat to Wa All Stars - Ghana Premier League 2014/15 - Hearts of Oak". African Football. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  5. "Wa All Stars avenge Premier League first round def". Ghana Football Association. 18 June 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  6. "WA All Stars: The Champions". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  7. "Abdul Ganiyu Ismail - Soccer player profile & career statistics - Global Sports Archive". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  8. "Wa All Stars claim Ghanaian Super Cup title after pipping Bechem United 1-0 in Tamale clash". GhanaSoccernet. 22 January 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  9. "Newly-promoted Karela United agree personal terms with former Wa All Stars defender Abdul Ganiu Ismail". GhanaSoccernet. 11 September 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  10. "Match Report of Medeama SC vs Karela United FC - 2018-03-17 - Zylofon Cash Premier League - Global Sports Archive". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  11. Adjei, Michael Oti (2 May 2018). "Asante Kotoko stumble again as Karela run continues". ESPN. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  12. "Karela FC defender Abdul Ganiyu completes Asante Kotoko switch". GhanaSoccernet. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  13. "Match Report of Asante Kotoko SC vs Aduana Stars FC - 2019-03-31 - GFA Normalization Special Competition - Global Sports Archive". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  14. Kobo, Kingsley (15 May 2019). "Kotoko 1-0 Eleven Wonders – Porcupine Warriors claim full marks at home". Goal. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  15. "#NCSpecial: Kotoko beat Karela on PKs to secure Caf CL ticket". Footy-GHANA.com. 23 June 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  16. "NC Special: Kotoko beat Karela on penalties to win Tier 1 Competition". Citinewsroom. 23 June 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  17. Teye, Prince Narkortu (22 December 2019). "Asante Kotoko down Hearts of Oak to win Ghana President's Cup". Goal. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  18. Graham, Susu (7 October 2021). "GPL: Ismail Ganiyu announced as new Kotoko captain". Citi Sports Online. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  19. "Black Meteors fall to Nigerian defeat". Ghana Football Association. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  20. "Ghana name 18-man squad for Nigeria Friendly". Goal. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  21. "EXCLUSIVE: Local Black Stars coach pens final 17-man squad to face Japan U23". GhanaSoccernet. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  22. "Local Black Stars thrashed 3-0 by Japan U-23s (+ALL GOALS)". Footy-GHANA.com. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  23. "VIDEO: Watch all the goals in Local Black Stars 3-0 defeat to Japan U23". GhanaSoccernet. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  24. "C.K Akonnor names squad for final round of AFCON qualifiers". Ghana Football Association. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  25. "Ghana captain Andre Ayew congratulates debutants Ganiyu and Gyasi after Black Stars draw against South Africa". GhanaSoccernet. 27 March 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  26. "Wa All Stars defeat Bechem United to lift Super Cup". Graphic Online. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  27. "Asante Kotoko crowned Ghana Premier League champions for record 24th time". GhanaSoccernet. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
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