Joel Kojo
Personal information
Full name Joel Kojo
Date of birth (1998-08-21) 21 August 1998 (age 25)
Place of birth Accra, Ghana
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Dinamo Samarqand
Number 10
Youth career
KK Adonteng Stars
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2021 Alay 59 (41)
2021–2023 Dordoi Bishkek 35 (14)
2023– Dinamo Samarqand 17 (11)
International career‡
2023– Kyrgyzstan 13 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 October 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 25 January 2024

Joel Kojo (Russian: Джоэл Коджо; born 21 August 1998) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Uzbekistan Super League club Dinamo Samarqand. Born in Ghana, he plays for the Kyrgyzstan national team.

Club career

Alay

Kojo finished the 2018 season as the club's and the league's top scorer with 26 goals.[1]

Dordoi Bishkek

On 11 January 2022, Dordoi Bishkek announced the signing of Kojo on a one-year contract.[2]

Kojo finished the 2022 season as the club's top scorer, scoring 10 goals in the league and once in the Kyrgyzstan Super Cup.[3] On 24 January 2023, Dordoi Bishkek announced the departure of Kojo following the expiration of his contract the previous November.[4]

Dinamo Samarqand

On 27 February 2023, Dinamo Samarqand announced the signing of Kojo on a one-year contract.[5]

On 29 March 2023, Kojo scored a hat-trick for Dinamo Samarqand in their 3–0 victory over Navbahor Namangan-2.[6]

International career

On 18 May 2023, Kojo was called up to the Kyrgyzstan national football team for the first time as part of their 2023 CAFA Nations Cup squad.[7] On 16 June 2023, Kojo made his debut for Kyrgyzstan, coming on as a 58th minute substitute for Atay Jumashev in a 5–1 defeat to Iran.[8][9] On 25 January 2024, Kojo scored the only goal for Kyrgyzstan in their 2023 AFC Asian Cup campaign in a 1–1 tie against Oman, a goal that directly killed off hopes of both his adopted country and Oman from advancing at the expense of Indonesia.

Career statistics

International

Statistics accurate as of match played 25 January 2024[9]

Kyrgyzstan national team
Year Apps Goals
2023 9 2
2024 3 1
Total 12 3

International goals

Scores and results list Kyrgyzstan's goal tally first.[9]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 11 September 2023 The Sevens Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates  Kuwait
2–1
3–1
 Friendly
2.
3–1
3. 25 January 2024 Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha, Qatar  Oman
1–1
1–1
 2023 AFC Asian Cup

Honours

Alay

Dordoi Bishkek

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Жоел Кожо из Ганы — лучший бомбардир чемпионата Кыргызстана по футболу (список)". sport.akipress.org (in Russian). Sport Akipress. 7 November 2018. Archived from the original on 5 January 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Кожо Жоэл стал игроком "Дордоя"". fc-dordoi.kg (in Russian). FC Dordoi Bishkek. 11 January 2022. Archived from the original on 18 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Кожо Жоэль - лучший бомбардир "Дордоя" в этом сезоне". fc-dordoi.kg (in Russian). FC Dordoi Bishkek. 18 November 2022. Archived from the original on 18 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Форвард из Ганы Кожо Жоэль покинул "Дордой"". fc-dordoi.kg (in Russian). FC Dordoi Bishkek. 24 January 2023. Archived from the original on 18 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  5. ^ "В"ДинамоВ" жамоаси Про лига янги мавсуми олдидан ўз сафига янги ўйинчиларни Т›ўшиб олишда давом этмоТ›да". fcdinamo.uz (in Uzbek). FC Dinamo Samarqand. 27 February 2023. Archived from the original on 18 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Navbahor Farm 0-3 Dinamo". pfl.uz. Uzbekistan Professional Football League. 29 March 2023. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  7. ^ "СПИСОК ИГРОКОВ, ВЫЗВАННЫХ В СБОРНУЮ КЫРГЫЗСТАНА" (in Russian). Кыргызский футбольный союз. 18 May 2023. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Joel Kojo debuts for Kyrgyzstan in heavy defeat to Iran after ditching Ghana". ghanaweb.com. Ghana Web. 17 June 2023. Archived from the original on 18 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
  9. ^ a b c "Joel Kojo". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 19 June 2023.

External links

FC Dinamo Samarqand – current squad
Kyrgyzstan squad – 2023 AFC Asian Cup
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