Joshua Oghene-Ochuko Akpudje (born 23 July 1998) is a Nigerian professional footballer who most recently played as a centre-back for Veikkausliiga club Ilves.[1]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Joshua Oghene Ochukwu Akpudje | ||
| Date of birth | 23 July 1998 | ||
| Place of birth | Lagos, Nigeria | ||
| Height | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre Back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Femmak Football Academy | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2020 | MFM | 29 | (2) |
| 2020–2022 | Daugavpils | 44 | (0) |
| 2022 | → Panevėžys (loan) | 22 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | Jablonec | 14 | (0) |
| 2024 | Dinamo Tbilisi | 9 | (0) |
| 2024 | Ilves | 10 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2019 | Nigeria U23 | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 October 2024 | |||
Early career
editBorn in Lagos, Akpudje started his football career with Femmak Football Academy straight out of high school before joining Nigerian Professional Football League side MFM ahead of the abridged season in 2019.
Club career
editOn 3 March 2020, Akpudje completed a transfer to Latvian club BFC Daugavpils[2]
After playing for two seasons in Latvia, Akpudje moved to Lithuanian side FK Panevėžys[3][4] on loan in February 2022.
On 12 February 2024, Akpudje signed a two-year contract, with the option of a third, with Dinamo Tbilisi.[5]
On 11 July 2024, he moved to Finland after signing with Ilves in Veikkausliiga.[6] He left club after the season, in which Ilves finished 2nd in the league.
International career
editAkpudje made his international debut for Nigeria U23 side in March 2019 against Libya [7] in an Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualification game.
Career statistics
edit- As of 19 October 2024
| Club | Season | Division | League | Cup[a] | League cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| MFM | 2019 | NPFL | 10 | 0 | – | – | – | 10 | 0 | |||
| 2019–20 | NPFL | 19 | 2 | – | – | – | 19 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 2 | ||
| Daugavpils | 2020 | Virslīga | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 24 | 0 | ||
| 2021 | Virslīga | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 23 | 0 | |||
| 2022 | Virslīga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 23 | 0 | |||
| Total | 44 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 0 | ||
| Panevėžys (loan) | 2022 | A Lyga | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | 2[b] | 0 | 25 | 1 | |
| Jablonec | 2022–23 | Czech First League | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 16 | 0 | ||
| Jablonec B | 2022–23 | ČFL | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | |||
| Dinamo Tbilisi | 2024 | Erovnuli Liga | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 9 | 0 | ||
| Ilves | 2024 | Veikkausliiga | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Career total | 130 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 141 | 0 | ||
- ^ Includes Latvian Cup, Lithuanian Cup, Czech Cup and Finnish Cup
- ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Conference League
Honours
editIlves
- Veikkausliiga runner-up: 2024[8]
References
edit- ^ Joshua Akpudje at Soccerway
- ^ Umeh, Azu (3 March 2020). "MFM FC Defender Joshua Akpudje Seals Move To Latvian Side". The Busy Buddies. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
- ^ ""Panevėžyje" – nuomos pagrindais atvykstantis gynėjas iš Nigerijos". 15min.lt/sportas (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 20 February 2022.
- ^ ""Panevėžys" sustiprino gynybos grandį". sportas.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 20 February 2022.
- ^ "დინამომ ორი ფეხბურთელი დაიმატა". fcdinamo.ge (in Georgian). FC Dinamo Tbilisi. 12 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ Ilves ja Joshua Akpudje pelaajasopimukseen, ilvesfootball.com, 11 July 2024
- ^ "Nigeria's Olympic Eagles lose 0-2 to Libya in first leg of 2019 AFCON U-23 qualifier". Pulse Nigeria. 20 March 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
- ^ Ilveksen päävalmentaja hopeasta: ”Voitettu mitali”, Yle, 19 October 2024