Kwaku Karikari (born 25 March 2002) is a Ghanaian footballer who plays as a forward for Danish 1st Division club AC Horsens.

Kwaku Karikari
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-03-25) 25 March 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth Ghana
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Horsens
Number 21
Youth career
Charity Stars
Liberty Professionals
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2022 Liberty Professionals 32 (7)
2021–2022Dreams (loan) 20 (2)
2022–2024 Jedinstvo Ub 67 (29)
2024– Horsens 17 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 5 December 2024

Early life

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Karikari was born and bred in Obuasi, a mining community in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.[1][2] He played for lower-tier side Charity Stars before being poached by Ghana Premier League side Liberty Professionals,[3] where he was assigned to the club's youth team before his promotion into the senior team in October 2020.[4]

Career

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Karikari started his senior career with Liberty Professionals in October 2020. He made his debut on 22 November 2020, after coming on in the 65th minute for Razak Boame in a 2–2 draw against Elmina Sharks.[4] In the process he scored his first competitive goal by scoring an equalizer in the 89th minute via a Emmanuel Paga assist help them salvage an away draw.[5]

On 7 February 2021, he scored a goal that earned Liberty a 1–0 victory against his native Ashanti Gold.[1] The win ended their six-game winless run.[2] On 10 April 2021, he scored Liberty Professionals third goal by scoring from the spot-kick in their 4–0 victory over Elmina Sharks.[6][7]

Within the season, he scored winning goals against Eleven Wonders and Karela United to help Liberty to victories and keep their relegation fight alive.[8][9] In both matches he was adjudged the man of the match.[10][11]

At the end of the 2020–21 season, he scored 7 goals and made 2 assists in 32 league appearances, ending the season as the club's joint top goal scorer with Abraham Wayo.[12][13]

Karikari scored 13 league goals in 31 appearances for Jedinstvo Ub in the 2022–23 Serbian First League.[14]

On July 22, 2024, Danish 1st Division club AC Horsens confirmed that they had bought Karikari, who signed a contract until June 2028.[15]

Honours

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Individual

References

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  1. ^ a b "2021 Ghana Premier League: AshantiGold v Liberty Professionals- Obuasi-born Karikari ends Miners unbeaten home record". Football Ghana. 7 February 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  2. ^ a b Eshun, Bill (7 February 2021). "GPL: Five talking points from matchday 13 – MyJoyOnline.com". My JoyOnline. Joy FM (Ghana). Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  3. ^ "Charity Stars youngster Abdul Moomin joins FC Porto". GhanaWeb. 20 February 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  4. ^ a b Adamu, Seidu (23 November 2020). "Debut Delight – Kwaku Karikari Opens Liberty Professionals account with a Classy goal in Elmina". 442 GH. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  5. ^ "Match Report of Elmina Sharks FC vs Liberty Professionals FC – 2020-11-22 – Ghana Premier League – Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  6. ^ "Liberty Professionals win big against Elmina Sharks at Sogakope". ghanafa.org. Ghana Football Association. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  7. ^ Osman, Abdul Wadudu (10 April 2021). "Match Report : Liberty Professionals 4–0 Elmina Sharks – Liberty thump Sharks to keep survival hopes alive". Football Made In Ghana. Archived from the original on 7 September 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. ^ "Karikari scores as Liberty Professionals stun Wonders at Obuasi". ghanafa.org. Ghana Football Association. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  9. ^ Kwafo, Eric Nana Yaw (18 April 2021). "GHPL: Kwaku Karikari's solitary goal propels Liberty to beat Eleven Wonders on matchday 20". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  10. ^ "2020/21 Ghana Premier League: Liberty forward Kwaku Karikari picks MOTM award in vital win against Eleven Wonders". GhanaSoccernet. 19 April 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  11. ^ "Forward Kwaku Karikari wins MOTM in Liberty Professionals win over Karela United". GhanaSoccernet. 5 July 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  12. ^ "Liberty teenager Abraham Wayo close to joining Tunisian giants Etoile du Sahel". GhanaWeb. 14 August 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  13. ^ "Kwaku Karikari – Soccer player profile & career statistics – Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Ghanaian youngster Kwaku Karikari named best foreign player in Serbian Parva Liga". Ghanasoccernet. 6 June 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  15. ^ AC HORSENS HENTER ALSIDIG OFFENSIVSPILLER, achorsens.dk, 22 July 2024
  16. ^ "Youngster Kwaku Karikari wins best player award at FK Jedinstvo Ub in Serbia". Ghanasoccernet. 24 April 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
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