Umaru Bangura
Umaru Bangura (born 7 October 1987) is a Sierra Leonean former professional footballer who played for the Sierra Leone national team. He played as a central defender or in midfield.[1]
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 7 October 1987 | ||
| Place of birth | Freetown, Sierra Leone | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender, Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2005 | Mighty Blackpool | ||
| 2005 | Watford | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2010 | Hønefoss | 123 | (7) |
| 2010–2013 | Haugesund | 81 | (1) |
| 2014–2016 | Dinamo Minsk | 58 | (0) |
| 2016–2021 | Zürich | 80 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Neuchâtel Xamax | 29 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2006–2022 | Sierra Leone | 53 | (4) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 May 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:42, 12 January 2022 (UTC) | |||
Career
Bangura started his senior career with Hønefoss BK in Norway.
In January 2011, Bangura moved to Eliteserien club FK Haugesund. He made his league debut for the club on 20 March 2011 in a 2–0 away loss to Tromsø IL. He was subbed on in the 71st minute for Ugonna Anyora.[2] He scored his first league goal for the club on 25 September 2011 in a 1–0 home victory over Aalesunds FK. His goal came in the 54th minute.[3]
During the English 2013 summer transfer window, Bangura attracted interest from Premier League side Crystal Palace, but the move failed to materialise.[4][5]
In December 2013 Bangura agreed to move to FC Dinamo Minsk in the Vysheyshaya Liga.[6] He made his league debut for the club on 30 March 2014 in a 1–0 away victory over FC Dnepr Mogilev. He played all ninety minutes of the match.[7]
In August 2016 he signed a three years contract with Swiss club FC Zürich.[8] He made his league debut for the club on 22 August 2016 in a 1–0 home victory over Neuchâtel Xamax. He was subbed on for Armando Sadiku in the 84th minute.[9] He scored his first league goal for the club on 2 October 2016 in a 5–0 away victory over FC Wohlen. His goal, scored in the 61st minute, made the score 4–0 to Zürich.[10]
On 8 January 2021, it was announced that Bangura had joined Swiss Challenge League club Neuchâtel Xamax on a contract until the end of the season, after being released by Zürich.[11][12]
International career
Bangura is the captain of the Sierra Leone national team.[13] In October 2019, he stated that he was considering quitting the national team after his team was attacked by angry fans, but retracted his decision soon after and represented Sierra Leone at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, the country's first ever AFCON.[14]
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Play-offs | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Hønefoss | 2006 | Adeccoligaen | 15 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 1 | ||||
| 2007 | Adeccoligaen | 23 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 0 | |||||
| 2008 | Adeccoligaen | 27 | 2 | — | — | 27 | 2 | |||||
| 2009 | Adeccoligaen | 29 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 3 | |||
| 2010 | Tippeligaen | 29 | 2 | 4 | 1 | — | 3 | 0 | 36 | 3 | ||
| Total | 123 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 131 | 9 | ||
| Haugesund | 2011 | Tippeligaen | 24 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 1 | ||
| 2012 | Tippeligaen | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 0 | |||
| 2013 | Tippeligaen | 28 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 0 | |||
| Total | 81 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 1 | ||
| Dinamo Minsk | 2014 | Vysheyshaya Liga | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 30 | 0 | |
| 2015 | Vysheyshaya Liga | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 0 | — | 37 | 0 | ||
| 2016 | Vysheyshaya Liga | 13 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | ||
| Total | 58 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 84 | 0 | ||
| Zürich | 2016–17 | Swiss Challenge League | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 22 | 1 | |
| 2017–18 | Swiss Super League | 24 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 0 | |||
| 2018–19 | Swiss Super League | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 35 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20 | Swiss Super League | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 | |||
| 2020–21 | Swiss Super League | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 80 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 111 | 1 | ||
| Neuchâtel Xamax | 2020–21 | Swiss Challenge League | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22 | Swiss Challenge League | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| Total | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 363 | 9 | 32 | 1 | 30 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 428 | 10 | ||
International
- As of match played 11 January 2022[1]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Leone | 2006 | 2 | 0 |
| 2007 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2015 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 53 | 4 | |
- Sierra Leone score listed first, score column indicates score after each Bangura goal[1]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 31 May 2014 | National Stadium, Freetown, Sierra Leone |  Swaziland | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | [17] |
| 2 | 19 July 2014 | National Stadium, Freetown, Sierra Leone |  Seychelles | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | [18] |
| 3 | 28 March 2016 | National Stadium, Freetown, Sierra Leone |  Gabon | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly | [19] |
| 4 | 10 June 2017 | National Stadium, Freetown, Sierra Leone |  Kenya | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | [20] |
Honours
Sierra Leone: Member of the Order of the Rokel (2017)[21]
References
- "Umaru Bangura". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
- "Tromso vs. Haugesund – 20 March 2011 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
- "Haugesund vs. Aalesunds – 25 September 2011 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
- "Transfer News: Crystal Palace launch move for Umaru Bangura". Sky Sports. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
- "Crystal Palace plot double deal as Eagles eye up Umaru Bangura and Osman Sow". Daily Mirror. 24 July 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
- "Bangura klar for utenlandsk klubb". Nettavisen (in Norwegian). Norwegian News Agency. 10 December 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
- "Dnepr Mogilev vs. Dinamo Minsk – 30 March 2014 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
- "Innenverteidiger Umaru Bangura wechselt zum FC Zürich" (in German). fcz.ch. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
- "Zurich vs. Neuchatel Xamax – 22 August 2016 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
- "Wohlen vs. Zurich – 2 October 2016 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
- "Xamax verpflichtet Umaru Bangura". Bote der Urschweiz (in Swiss High German). 8 January 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- "Un nouveau défenseur pour Neuchâtel Xamax". Radio Télévision Neuchâtel (in Swiss French). 8 January 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- "Sierra Leone captain: "We're the ones suffering"". BBC Sport. 1 November 2018.
- "Sierra Leone captain could quit after attack on home". BBC Sport. 1 October 2019.
- "Umaru Bangura". altomfotball.no. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
- "Sierra Leone - U. Bangura - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.
- "Sierra Leone vs. Eswatini - 31 May 2014 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.
- "Sierra Leone vs. Seychelles - 19 July 2014 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.
- "Sierra Leone - Gabon 1:0 (Friendlies 2016, March)". worldfootball.net.
- "Sierra Leone v Kenya Match Report, 10/06/2017, Africa Cup of Nations Qualification | Goal.com". www.goal.com.
- "'Zangalay' Bangura receives Presidential award". slconcordtimes.com. SL Concord Times. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
External links
- Umaru Bangura at Soccerway
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