Occupé Bayenga

Occupé Bayenga Lopalo (born 8 November 1989) is a Congolese naturalized Chilean footballer who plays for Universidad de Concepción as a striker.

Occupé Bayenga
Personal information
Full name Occupé Bayenga Lopalo
Date of birth (1989-11-08) 8 November 1989
Place of birth Kinshasa, Zaire
(now DR Congo)
Height 1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2010 Cañuelas 30 (6)
2011 Copiapó 24 (4)
2012 U. de Concenpción 0 (0)
2012 Deportes Concepción 0 (0)
International career‡
2009 DR Congo U20 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 December 2011
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14 December 2011

Bayenga previously played for Argentine side Cañuelas during 2009 to 2010 and then Deportes Copiapó of Chile in 2011.

He was one of the first African players in play at Chile, being the fourth after of Ike Uzoma, Luc Bessala and Ekele Udojoh[1] and also was the first of his continent in score a goal at the football of that country in a 3–2 away loss of Copiapó against Magallanes.

Club career

Early career

Bayenga traveled from the Congo to Argentina in 2009, for play in the Primera D side Cañuelas. He signed on mid-year for that team thanks for a friendship of his uncle with an important member of the club board. Within a short time at Cañuelas, he became the favourite player of the fans despite also of be nominated to the bench of frequently form.[2]

In this country, Occupé played two seasons with the club, in where scored 6 goals in 30 appearances.

Copiapó

In January 2011, Bayenga was signed by Chilean side Deportes Copiapó of the Primera B. Bayenga made his debut in a 1–0 away loss to Everton on 20 March 2011. In his second game for the club, he play the full 90 minutes of the game in a 1–0 win to Magallanes, in where was named the man of match. His first goal in Copiapó came on 29 May in a 3–2 away loss against Magallanes at Santiago Bueras Stadium,[3] being the first African player in score a goal in Chile. Due to an injury, Bayenga missed the last part of the Apertura Tournament and the 2011 Copa Chile.

Bayenga returned in a 3–3 draw with Deportes Concepción, in where he had a great performance scoring an important goal in the game.[4] He incremented his tally goal in the next game, scoring another important goal against Deportes Puerto Montt in a 3–2 home win.[5] After a matchday without score in a 1–1 with Curicó Unido, in where he played the full 90 minutes of the game, against Deportes Temuco was his last goal for Copiapó in a 3–2 away win of his team.[6]

However, Bayenga's team had poor season in the year and finished last in the 14th position of the accumulate table with 36 points under of Magallanes in the 13th position with 40 points. For this reasons, Bayenga decided not to continue in the club and caught eye of several teams, the more interested clubs were Palestino, Unión La Calera and Universidad de Concepción.

Universidad de Concepción

On 9 December 2011, Universidad de Concepción acquired the 60% of the player rights, and therefore Bayenga became into the first Congolese footballer to play in the Chilean Primera División.[7]

International career

In 2009, Bayenga played the African Youth Championship with his national youth team (under-20). He only played 2 games in the tournament against Uganda and did not score any goals.

Career statistics
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Argentina League Cup League Cup South America Total
2009–10CañuelasPrimera D306——————306
Chile League Copa Chile League Cup South America Total
2011CopiapóPrimera B24400————244
Chile League Copa Chile League Cup South America Total
2012U. de ConcePrimera A0000————00
CountryArgentina 306——————306
Chile 24400————469

References
  1. "Cuando los jugadores africanos llegaron a Chile". Ferplei.com.
  2. "La peculiar historia de Occupé Bayenga". 25 November 2009.
  3. "Magallanes revirtió un resultado adverso y superó a Copiapó en la Primera B". Cooperativa.cl. 29 May 2011.
  4. "Concepción y Copiapó igualaron 3-3 en Collao". Anfp.cl. 29 October 2011.
  5. "Copiapó venció a Puerto Montt y sumó fuerza en su afán de mantenerse en Primera B". Cooperativa.cl. 2 November 2011.
  6. "Copiapó venció a U. Temuco y se despidió de la B". Anfp.cl. 13 November 2011.
  7. "Movidas: Delantero africano es el nuevo refuerzo de la U. de Conce". El Gráfico.cl. 9 December 2011.
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