Solomon Asante
Personal information
Full name Solomon Asante
Date of birth (1990-03-06) 6 March 1990 (age 34)[1]
Place of birth Kumasi, Ashanti, Ghana
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[2]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Las Vegas Lights
Number 14
Youth career
0000–2007 Feyenoord Ghana
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2009 Feyenoord Ghana 66 (12)
2009–2011 ASFA Yennenga 57 (39)
2011–2013 Berekum Chelsea 70 (21)
2013–2017 TP Mazembe 17 (4)
2018–2021 Phoenix Rising 107 (54)
2022–2023 Indy Eleven 58 (3)
2024– Las Vegas Lights 2 (0)
International career
2011 Burkina Faso 1 (0)
2012– Ghana 21 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 March 2024

Solomon Asante (born 6 March 1990) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a winger for USL Championship club Las Vegas Lights. With Phoenix Rising FC, he was named the 2019 and 2020 USL Championship Most Valuable Player (MVP).[3][4] With Indy Eleven, Asante became the first player in USL Championship history to record 50 career goals and career assists.[5]

Early life

Born in Ghana to Ghanaian parents,[6] Asante started his career at the Ghanaian club Feyenoord Ghana, where he played until 2009.[7]

Club career

ASFA Yennenga

Asante joined Burkinabé club ASFA Yennenga from Feyenoord Ghana, at the beginning of the 2009–2010 season.[8] In his second season with ASFA Yennenga he won the 2010–2011 Burkinabé Premier League, 2010–2011 top-goalscorer and was also the 2009–2010 Burkinabé Premier League top-goalscorer with 14 goals.[7][9] He spent two season's with ASFA Yennenga.[7]

Berekum Chelsea

Asante signed for Ghanaian Ghana Premier League club Berekum Chelsea at the beginning of the 2011–12 Ghana Premier League season.[7][8]

TP Mazembe

Asante joined Congolese Ligue 1 club TP Mazembe in 2013.[citation needed] Asante departed the club in December 2017 following the expiration of his contract.[10]

Phoenix Rising FC

Asante signed with Phoenix Rising FC of the United Soccer League on 21 December 2017.[11] Asante left on 1 February 2022, after leading the club to two USL Championship Finals and the Regular Season Title in 2019. He was team captain for three of his four seasons.[12]

Indy Eleven

On 11 April 2022, it was announced that Asante had signed with USL Championship side Indy Eleven.[13] Asante scored his first goal for Indy Eleven on 23 July 2022 in a 1–1 draw with Memphis 901 FC. The goal was Asante's 50th goal in the USL Championship.[14] Asante ended the 2022 season playing 25 league matches, scoring one goal and notching six assists.[15]

Asante remained with Indy Eleven for the 2023 season, starting in the team's season opening 1–1 draw away to the Tampa Bay Rowdies on 11 March.[16] Asante received his first yellow card of the season the following week in a 1–0 away win over Detroit City FC on 25 March.[17] Asante scored his first goal of the season in a 2–3 home loss to Monterrey Bay FC on 22 April.[18]

Asante became the first player in USL Championship history to total 50 career goals and 50 career assists on 9 August 2023 in a 4–0 home win over Birmingham Legion.[19] In the same game, Asante tallied three assists in a single game for the third time in his USL Championship career.[20]

Asante ended the season with two goals and six assists in 33 league games.[21] Asante made one appearance in the 2023 U.S. Open Cup, substituting on in the 46th minute for Alann Torres in a 3–1 home win over NISA side Michigan Stars FC on 5 April.[22]

Asante departed the club at the end of the 2023 season, totaling 59 league and cup games and 3 goals over two years.[23]

Las Vegas Lights FC

USL Championship side Las Vegas Lights FC announced the signing of Asante on 23 February 2024, ahead of the 2024 USL Championship season.[24] Asante made his first appearance for the Las Vegas-based side on 9 March, replacing Edison Azcona in the 55th minute in a 2–1 away loss to Memphis 901 FC.[25] Asante made his first start for the Lights in a 3–1 home loss to FC Tulsa on 16 March.[26]

International career

He made his debut for Burkina Faso against South Africa at Ellis Park on 8 August 2011 in an international friendly.[27] He scored his first goal for Burkina Faso in the 87th minute scoring one goal. In November 2011, he dropped from the national team to join his home country Ghana. He scored a goal against England on 22 September 2011 at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow the game final score 6–1 Solomon helped the team advance to face Germany but he suffered an injury.

Ghana national team

On 16 May 2012, Asante was called up to the Ghana squad for two 2014 World Cup qualification matches against Lesotho and Zambia but was later dropped[28] due to concerns over his eligibility to play for Ghana.[29] Asante has since been cleared to play for Ghana.[30]

Career statistics

Club Season Division League Domestic Cup Other Totals
Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Phoenix Rising 2018 USL 36 14 9 0 0 4 1 40 15
2019 USL C 34 22 17 1 0 2 0 37 22
2020 17 8 9 0 0 3 2 20 10
2021 26 10 7 0 0 0 0 26 10
Club Totals 113 54 42 1 0 9 3 123 57
Indy Eleven 2022 USL C 25 1 6 0 0 0 0 25 1
2023 33 2 6 1 0 0 0 34 2
Club Totals 58 3 12 1 0 0 0 59 3
Las Vegas Lights 2024 USL C 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Club Totals 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Career Total 173 57 54 2 0 9 3 184 60

Honours

ASFA Yennenga

Phoenix Rising

Individual

Records

References

  1. ^ [1], Phoenix
  2. ^ Solomon Asante – TP Mazembe
  3. ^ USLChampionship.com Staff (21 November 2019). "Phoenix's Asante Named 2019 Championship Most Valuable Player". USL Championship. United Soccer League. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  4. ^ USLChampionship.com Staff (6 November 2020). "Phoenix's Solomon Asante Voted 2020 Championship Most Valuable Player". USL Championship. United Soccer League. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  5. ^ "Solomon Asante and Aodhan Quinn complete the 50/50 split". Indy Eleven. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  6. ^ Gary Al-Smith (27 May 2012). "GFA ponders Asante's fate". supersport.com. SuperSport. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  7. ^ a b c d "Midfielder Solomon Asante Gets Late Black Stars Call-up". Berekum Chelsea F.C. May 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  8. ^ a b Solomon Asante Wiafe. footballzz.co.uk.
  9. ^ "Solomon Asante". Soccerway. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  10. ^ "TP Mazembe pay tributes to Solomon Asante, Yaw Frimpong". GhanaWeb. 27 December 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Ghanaian International Solomon Asante Joins Phoenix Rising". Phoenix Rising FC. 21 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  12. ^ Murray, Nicholas (1 February 2022). "Solomon Asante Departs Phoenix, But Leaves Lasting Legacy". uslchampionship.com.
  13. ^ "Indy inks two-time USL Championship MVP Solomon Asante". 11 April 2022.
  14. ^ "USLC RECAP | IND 1:1 MEM". Indy Eleven. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  15. ^ "Solomon Asanté Career Stats - USLC". ESPN. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  16. ^ "Recap - TBR 1:1 IND". Indy Eleven. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  17. ^ "Indy Eleven 1-0 Detroit City FC (Mar 25, 2023) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  18. ^ "Recap - IND 2:3 MB". Indy Eleven. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  19. ^ "Solomon Asante and Aodhan Quinn complete the 50/50 split". Indy Eleven. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  20. ^ "Recap – IND 4:0 BHM". Indy Eleven. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  21. ^ "Solomon Asanté Career Stats - USLC". ESPN. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  22. ^ "INDvsMCS 04-05-2023 Lineups". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  23. ^ "Ghanaian winger Solomon Asante departs USL Championship club Indy Eleven". GHANAsoccernet.com. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  24. ^ "USL Championship legend Solomon Asante leads trio of new Las Vegas Lights FC signings". Las Vegas Lights FC. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  25. ^ "Memphis 901 FC 2-1 Las Vegas Lights FC (Mar 9, 2024) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  26. ^ "FC Tulsa 3-1 Las Vegas Lights FC (Mar 16, 2024) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  27. ^ "South Africa vs. Burkina Faso 3 – 0". Soccerway. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  28. ^ "Ghana names final squad for Lesotho, Zambia". Ghana Football Association. 26 May 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  29. ^ "GFA seeks FIFA clarification over Asante eligibility". Ghana Football Association. 26 May 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  30. ^ "Striker Asante warns Ghana over his future". Africasoccernet.com. 26 May 2012. Archived from the original on 15 February 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  31. ^ Gyamera-Antwi, Evans (28 May 2017). "Asante named 2016 SWAG Player of the Year". Goal. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  32. ^ a b Anderson, Jake (21 November 2019). "Phoenix Rising's Solomon Asante wins 2019 USL Championship MVP". arizonasports.com. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  33. ^ a b "Solomon Asante Becomes First Back-to-Bank USL MVP". Phoenix Rising Communications. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  34. ^ "2018 USL All-League Teams Revealed". USLSoccer.com Staff. 5 November 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  35. ^ USLChampionship com Staff (12 November 2019). "USL Championship Announces 2019 All-League Teams". USL Championship. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  36. ^ a b "Phoenix's Asante Earns Golden Boot, Assists Champion Award". USLChampionship Staff. 21 October 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  37. ^ a b c Taiwo 11 Oct 2019, Taiye (11 October 2019). "Ghana star Solomon Asante scoops four awards at Phoenix Rising | Goal.com". Goal. Retrieved 13 December 2021.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  38. ^ Olafson, Ole (18 August 2019). "Rising Recap – Rising keep record win streak going with 4–2 victory, Solomon Asante sets club record for career goals". Northeast Valley News. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  39. ^ "Solomon Asante becomes USL first player to register 17 assists – Kickgh.com". kickgh.com.
  40. ^ a b Phoenix Rising Communications (12 September 2019). "Solomon Asante Named USL Player of the Month". Phoenix Rising FC. Retrieved 7 January 2020.

External links

Las Vegas Lights FC – current squad
USL Championship Most Valuable Player
USL Championship top scorers
Ghanaian Footballer of the Year
Ghana squads
Categories