Tega Ikoba (born August 14, 2003), is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tega Ikoba | ||
| Date of birth | August 14, 2003 | ||
| Place of birth | Bettendorf, Iowa, United States | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | |||
| Youth career | |||
| 2018–2021 | Portland Timbers | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021 | North Carolina Tar Heels | 18 | (6) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2024 | Portland Timbers 2 | 46 | (13) |
| 2022–2024 | Portland Timbers | 8 | (1) |
| 2024 | → Indy Eleven (loan) | 9 | (1) |
| International career | |||
| 2023– | United States U23 | 5 | (2) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of November 5, 2024 | |||
Club career
editAfter playing with the Portland Timbers academy from 2018,[2][3] Ikoba appeared for Portland's USL Championship side Portland Timbers 2 on September 2, 2020, as a 57th-minute substitute in a 2–1 loss to Sacramento Republic.[4]
On January 11, 2022, Ikoba signed for the Portland Timbers as a homegrown player.[5]
Ikoba made his MLS debut on May 14, 2022, against Sporting Kansas City. He scored his first MLS goal in a 5–1 loss against Atlanta United FC on March 18, 2023.
On March 22, 2024, it was announced that Ikoba would join USL Championship side Indy Eleven on loan for the 2024 season, with the option for Portland to recall him throughout the season.[6]
Ikoba made his debut for Indy Eleven on March 23, 2024, coming on as a substitute for Tyler Gibson in the 61st minute in a 1–1 draw against Sacramento Republic.[7] He made his first start for the Indianapolis-based club in a 2–1 home defeat to Detroit City FC on March 30.[8]
Ikoba scored his first goal for the Eleven on April 13, 2024, scoring the team's first goal of the match in a 4–2 home defeat to the Charleston Battery.[9]
The Timbers recalled Ikoba from his loan on July 3.[10] He scored a hat-trick for Portland Timbers 2 in MLS NEXT Pro on July 27, in a 5–2 home victory over Sporting Kansas City II.[11] His performance won him the MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Matchweek award.[12]
Ikoba's contract option with the Timbers was declined following the 2024 season.[13]
Personal life
editBorn in the United States, Ikoba is of Nigerian descent.[14]
References
edit- ^ "Tega Ikoba". Portland Timbers. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
- ^ "Portland Timbers". port.ussoccerda.com.
- ^ Timbers, Portland. "Trialists, Academy players and draft picks all vying for positions during preseason in Costa Rica | PTFC". Portland Timbers.
- ^ "Portland Timbers 2 vs. Sacramento Republic FC - September 2, 2020 | USLChampionship.com". www.uslchampionship.com.
- ^ "Timbers sign forward Tega Ikoba as Homegrown Player for 2022 season". Timbers.com. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- ^ Timbers, Portland. "Timbers loan Tega Ikoba to USL side Indy Eleven for 2024 season". Portland Timbers. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
- ^ "Indy Eleven 1-1 Sacramento Republic FC (Mar 23, 2024) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
- ^ "Recap - IND 1:2 DET". Indy Eleven. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ "Recap - IND 2:4 CHS". Indy Eleven. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
- ^ Timbers, Portland. "Timbers recall forward Tega Ikoba from loan with Indy Eleven | PTFC". Portland Timbers. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
- ^ Timbers2, Portland. "Portland Timbers2". Portland Timbers2. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Timbers2, Portland. "Portland Timbers2". Portland Timbers2. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Timbers, Portland. "Timbers announce roster status ahead of 2025 season | PTFC". Portland Timbers. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
- ^ "MLS : 87 joueurs africains engagés". beIN SPORTS France.
External links
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