Peter Utaka
Encyclopedia
Peter Utaka is a Nigeria
n footballer with a Belgian passport currently playing for Danish
club Odense Boldklub. He is the younger brother of John Utaka
, who currently plays for Montpellier
in France.
as a 16-year old to play in Dinamo Zagreb. In 2003 he moved to Belgium
from Dinamo and signed for K. Patro Eisden Maasmechelen
of the third division. KVC Westerlo moved to sign him the following season, and in his first season in the top flight.
He joined Royal Antwerp FC in January 2007 where he became a first team regular, and he helped Antwerp qualify for the playoffs, finishing second. On August 30, 2008, it was announced that Utaka would join Danish
club OB.
Utaka joined Danish side OB in 2008. In his first season he finished joint 4th place on the scorers list, while he led all scorers in his second season. He finished with 18 goals in 33 matches, the first time in 5 years an OB player was top scorer in the league (last was Steffen Højer
in 2004/2005 with 20 goals).
selected Peter for the Nigerian national football team. Utaka made his debut for Nigeria months later in a 5–2 home win over Congo DR
on March 3, 2010, despite only getting his call up late after the NFF called his mother looking for him. He scored the first goal and assisted on the second. He scored twice against in a Nations Cup qualifier against Ethopia
.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n footballer with a Belgian passport currently playing for Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
club Odense Boldklub. He is the younger brother of John Utaka
John Utaka
John Chukwudi Utaka is a Nigerian footballer who played as a striker for Montpellier of the Ligue 1. He is the older brother of Peter Utaka, who plays for OB in Denmark.- Club career :...
, who currently plays for Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
in France.
Club career
Utaka moved to CroatiaCroatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
as a 16-year old to play in Dinamo Zagreb. In 2003 he moved to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
from Dinamo and signed for K. Patro Eisden Maasmechelen
K. Patro Eisden Maasmechelen
K. Patro Eisden Maasmechelen is a Belgian football club, from the municipality of Maasmechelen in Limburg .When it was created, the club name was V.V. Patro Eisden until 1992 when they changed to K. Patro Eisden. In 1998, it changed to K. Maasland Maasmechelen trying to gather supporters from the...
of the third division. KVC Westerlo moved to sign him the following season, and in his first season in the top flight.
He joined Royal Antwerp FC in January 2007 where he became a first team regular, and he helped Antwerp qualify for the playoffs, finishing second. On August 30, 2008, it was announced that Utaka would join Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
club OB.
Utaka joined Danish side OB in 2008. In his first season he finished joint 4th place on the scorers list, while he led all scorers in his second season. He finished with 18 goals in 33 matches, the first time in 5 years an OB player was top scorer in the league (last was Steffen Højer
Steffen Højer
Steffen Højer is a Danish former football player, who played most of his career for Viborg FF. He has played for a number of Danish clubs, and most notably won the 1998-99 Danish Superliga with AaB. A prolific striker in the Superliga, he finished league top scorer three years in row in the...
in 2004/2005 with 20 goals).
International career
On the 21st of September 2009, national coach Shaibu AmoduShaibu Amodu
Shaibu Amodu is a Nigerian football manager who was appointed Head Coach of the Nigerian national side in April 2008.-Coaching career:He previously managed Nigeria from April 2001 to February 2002....
selected Peter for the Nigerian national football team. Utaka made his debut for Nigeria months later in a 5–2 home win over Congo DR
Congo DR national football team
The Congo DR national football team is the national team of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is controlled by the Fédération Congolaise de Football-Association , and are nicknamed The Leopards.Congo have been ranked as high as 51 in the FIFA Rankings...
on March 3, 2010, despite only getting his call up late after the NFF called his mother looking for him. He scored the first goal and assisted on the second. He scored twice against in a Nations Cup qualifier against Ethopia
Ethiopia national football team
The Ethiopia national football team represents Ethiopia in association football and is controlled by the Ethiopian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Ethiopia...
.
Honours
- Top goalscorer 2007/2008 in the Belgian Second DivisionBelgian Second DivisionThe Belgian Second Division is the second-highest division in the Belgian football league system after the Belgian Pro League. It was created by the Belgian Football Association in 1905. Between 2008 and 2010 it was named EXQI League after a television channel owned by the league main sponsor,...
with 22 Goals in 34 Games - Top goalscorer 2009/2010 in the Danish SuperligaDanish SuperligaThe Danish Superliga is the current Danish football championship tournament, and administered by the Danish Football Association. It is the highest association football league in Denmark and is currently contested by 12 teams each year, with 2 teams to be relegated, which proves to be one of the...
with 18 Goals in 33 Games
External links
- National Football Teams profile OB profile Career statistics at Danmarks RadioDanmarks RadioDR – officially rendered into English as the Danish Broadcasting Corporation – is Denmark's national broadcasting corporation. Founded in 1925 as a public-service organization, it is today Denmark's oldest and largest electronic media enterprise...