Fanendo Adi

Nigerian footballer

Fanendo Adi
Adi with Portland Timbers in 2016
Personal information
Date of birth (1990-10-10) 10 October 1990 (age 33)
Place of birth Lagos, Nigeria
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Lagos Islanders
Union Bank
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2011 AS Trenčín 42 (18)
2011 Metalurh Donetsk 9 (1)
2011 → Dynamo Kyiv (loan) 3 (0)
2011–2012 Tavriya Simferopol 9 (1)
2012–2013 AS Trenčín 19 (10)
2013–2014 Copenhagen 9 (3)
2014 → Portland Timbers (loan) 6 (4)
2014–2018 Portland Timbers 120 (50)
2018–2019 FC Cincinnati 12 (1)
2020 Columbus Crew 11 (0)
2021 Minnesota United 10 (1)
International career‡
2011 Nigeria U23 2 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 28 November 2021
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 2 December 2014

Fanendo Adi (born 10 October 1990) is a Nigerian former footballer who played as a striker.

Club career

Europe

Following his transfer from AS Trencin, Adi scored a goal in his F.C. Copenhagen debut against FC Vestsjælland on 25 August, despite not having his work and residency permit.[1]

In January 2011, Adi, then 20 years old, was invited for a trial by Ajax for the second time.[2]

Portland Timbers

On 13 May 2014, Adi went on loan with the option to buy to Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer. He made his debut coming on as a substitute against Columbus Crew and got the game tying assist, a feat which earned him a start in the following match.[3] In his first start for the club, on 28 May 2014 against Chivas USA, Adi scored his first and second goals for the club. On 7 June he received his second start and scored two goals in the first half against Real Salt Lake.[4]

Adi was signed permanently by the Portland Timbers on 23 June 2014. He became the club's fourth ever Designated Player.[5] He was the top scorer with 18 goals in both 2015 and 2016. On 8 April 2017, after scoring a penalty kick against the Philadelphia Union, Adi became the Timbers' all-time leading goalscorer, with 46 goals.[6]

FC Cincinnati

Adi (left) dueling with Bradley Bourgeois of Nashville SC in a 2018 FC Cincinnati match

Adi was traded from Portland Timbers to MLS expansion side FC Cincinnati on 30 July 2018 for a deal worth up to $1,000,000 in allocation money. He played the remainder of the 2018 season with FC Cincinnati in the United Soccer League ahead of the club's move up to Major League Soccer.[7]

Adi started in the first three matches of FC Cincinnati's inaugural MLS season. However, in the third match on 17 March (Cincinnati's home opener against Portland Timbers), he was injured after a collision with Larrys Mabiala late in the first half, and was subbed out at halftime.[8] He remained on the bench with a left ankle injury the next two matches.

At approximately 3:45am on 31 March 2019, Adi was pulled over by the Ohio State Highway Patrol and cited for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol (OVI), speeding, and not possessing a valid driver's license. According to the police, Adi was driving 102 mph in a 65 mph zone, showed a blood alcohol content of 0.124 in a breathalyzer test, and possessed only a Ukrainian driver's license.[9] Adi was suspended by FC Cincinnati and entered MLS' Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health program.[10]

Adi was cleared from suspension on 24 April and began practicing with the team the following day; however, his minutes remained limited as his ankle was still recovering. He made his first appearance since the injury in the final 11 minutes of a San Jose Earthquakes match on 4 May. He played another 26 minutes as a substitute in the following two matches. On 25 May, Adi started for the first time since 17 March and played a full 90 minutes.[11]

Adi scored his first goal of 2019 in a U.S. Open Cup match against Louisville City FC on 12 June.[12] He scored his first goal in the 2019 MLS season on July 13 against the Chicago Fire. It gave FC Cincinnati the lead and victory, 2–1.[13]

Following a tumultuous season with Cincinnati, Adi was waived by the club on 17 January 2020, ahead of the 2020 season.[14]

Columbus Crew

On 27 January 2020, Columbus Crew SC announced that it had claimed Adi off the Major League Soccer Waiver List.[15] Adi's contract with Columbus expired following their 2020 season.[16]

Minnesota United

Minnesota United FC signed Adi to a one-year deal with a one-year option on 27 August 2021.[17]

International career

Adi was called up to Nigeria's U23 team twice in 2011. He was also called up to the senior Nigeria squad to face Egypt in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in March 2016 but did not play.[18]

Coaching

In February 2023, Adi was named head coach for the Minnesota United Academy U-19 team.[19]

Honors

Portland Timbers

FC Cincinnati

  • USL regular season: 2018

Columbus Crew

References

  1. ^ "FCK: Fanendo Adi er overrasket og forvirret". dr.dk. 28 August 2013. Archived from the original on 31 August 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  2. ^ "De Boer rozhodol, Ajax opäť skúša Adiho" (in Slovak). AS Trenčín official website. 22 January 2011. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  3. ^ "2014". timbers.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  4. ^ "Fanendo Adi". Portland Timbers. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  5. ^ "Portland Timbers exercise purchase option on striker Fanendo Adi, sign as Designated Player to multiyear contract". Portland Timbers. Archived from the original on 27 July 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  6. ^ "Philadelphia Union 1, Portland Timbers 3 2017 MLS Match Recap". MLSsoccer.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  7. ^ "FCC Announces Adi As First MLS Designated Player". FC Cincinnati. 30 July 2018. Archived from the original on 20 November 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  8. ^ Baer, Benjamin (17 March 2019). "Fanendo Adi exits FC Cincinnati home opener with injury". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  9. ^ Brennan, Patrick; Coolidge, Sharon; Londberg, Max (3 April 2019). "FC Cincinnati's Fanendo Adi cited for OVI, speeding faster than 100 MPH". Cincinnati Enquirer. Gannett Company. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  10. ^ Pfahler, Laurel (3 April 2019). "After Fanendo Adi's drunk driving citation, FC Cincinnati plot a way forward". The Athletic. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  11. ^ Pfahler, Laurel (1 June 2019). "Finally back in FCC lineup, Adi's ready to score some goals". WCPO. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  12. ^ Brennan, Patrick (12 June 2019). "FC Cincinnati survives extra time, Louisville City FC in 2–1 Open Cup victory". Cincinnati Enquirer. Gannett Company. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  13. ^ Hatch, Charlie (13 July 2019). "Takeaways from Chicago". FC Cincinnati. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  14. ^ "FC Cincy place Adi, Hague on waivers". FC Cincinnati. Archived from the original on 19 January 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  15. ^ "Columbus Crew SC selects forward Fanendo Adi off MLS waiver list". columbuscrewsc.com. 27 January 2020. Archived from the original on 27 January 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  16. ^ "RELEASE | Core of 2020 MLS Cup-winning Columbus Crew SC roster to return in 2021". Columbus SC. 14 December 2020. Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  17. ^ "MNUFC signs Fanendo Adi". mnufc.com. 27 August 2021. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  18. ^ "Delighted Fanendo Adi ready to play part in Super Eagles campaign". goal.com. 3 March 2016. Archived from the original on 8 May 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  19. ^ "MNUFC Academy Announces New Coaching and Technical Staff Additions". MNUFC.com. Archived from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  20. ^ "Goals, screw-ups, stats and more: Everything great from the MLS Cup Final". SBNation.com. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  21. ^ "Portland Timbers, fans celebrate Western Conference Championship". OregonLive.com. Archived from the original on 15 November 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2018.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fanendo Adi.