Peter Utaka

Peter Maduabuchi Utaka

Personal information
Date of birth	(1984-02-12) 12 February 1984
Place of birth	Enugu, Nigeria
Height
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Number	TBA
Youth career
1997	UNTH Nigeria
1999–2000	Dinamo Zagreb
2000–2004	UNTH Nigeria
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–2004	Maasmechelen	35	(17)
2004–2007	Westerlo	73	(12)
2007–2008	Royal Antwerp	46	(26)
2008–2012	OB	108	(52)
2012–2013	Dalian Aerbin	43	(27)
2013–2014	Beijing Guoan	25	(8)
2014	→ Shanghai Shenxin (loan)	12	(2)
2015–	Shimizu S-Pulse	28	(9)
2016–	→ Sanfrecce Hiroshima (loan)
International career
2010–2011	Nigeria	7	(3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 03:33, 12 July 2015 (UTC)

Peter Maduabuchi Utaka (born 12 February 1984 in Enugu) is a Nigerian footballer with a Belgian passport currently playing for Sanfrecce Hiroshima on loan from Japanese club Shimizu S-Pulse. He is the younger brother of John Utaka, who currently plays for Sivasspor in Turkey.

Club career

Utaka moved to Croatia as a 16-year-old to play in Dinamo Zagreb after trying his luck at Ismaily where his older brother John was a cult figure and in the United Arab Emirates. In 2003 he moved to Belgium from Dinamo and signed for K. Patro Eisden Maasmechelen of the 2nd division. KVC Westerlo moved to sign him the following season, and in his first season in the top flight and the transfer was worth 250 000 euro.

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. He also emerged top scorer with 22 goals and capped hs glorious season, winning the Best Striker's Award. He also put more gloss on his breath-taking performance that season, claiming the Most Valuable Player's award over eight times, making him one of the most feared strikers in Belgium. On 30 August 2008, it was announced that Utaka would join Danish club OB. for an undisclosed fee.

Utaka joined Danish side OB in 2008. In his first season he finished joint fourth 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 five years an OB player was top scorer in the league (last was Steffen Højer in 2004–05 with 20 goals). His Danish team- OB included also two former Manchester United players- Roy Carroll and Eric Djemba-Djemba and another former French international player- Bernard Mendy.

In January 2012, Utaka moved to Chinese Super League club Dalian Aerbin he scored 20 goals in 28 games in his first season playing alongside former Barcelona players -Fabio Rochemback and Seydou Keita, as well as former Australian International player- Mille Sterjovski and former PSG player- Guillaume Hoarau. He also scored 11 consecutive fixtures to establish a new C-league record.He transferred to Beijing Guoan on 9 July 2013 in 2M Euro transfer. That made him the most expensive international signing in the history of the club. He also played with former Sevilla and Mali captain- Freddy Kanoute.

International career

On 21 September 2009, national coach Shaibu Amodu 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 3 March 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 Ethiopia. His first goal was the fastest goal in the qualifications-29secs.

Career Statistics

As of 12 November 2014

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Denmark			League		Danish Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
2008-09	Odense BK	D Superliga	27	12	0	0	-	-	-	-	27	12
2009-10			33	18	3	4	-	-	3	2	39	24
2010-11			32	14	1	0	-	-	10	6	43	20
2011-12			16	8	0	0	-	-	9	1	25	9
China PR			League		FA Cup		League Cup		Asia		Total
2012	Dalian Aerbin	CSL	28	20	1	0	-	-	-	-	29	20
2013			15	7	0	0	-		-		15	7
2013	Beijing Guoan		12	7	3	4	-	-	0	0	15	11
2014			13	1	0	0	-	-	7	3	20	4
2014	Shanghai Shenxin		12	2	1	2	-	-	-	-	13	4
Total	China PR		80	37	5	6	0	0	7	3	92	46
	Denmark		108	52	4	4	0	0	22	9	134	65
	Career Total		188	89	9	10	0	0	31	12	226	111

Honours

• Top goalscorer 2007–08 in the Belgian Second Division with 22 goals in 34 games
• Top goalscorer 2009–10 in the Danish Superliga with 18 goals in 33 games
• Chinese FA Cup Top goalscorer: 2013

External links

• Peter Utaka at National-Football-Teams.com
• OB profile (Danish)
• Career statistics at Danmarks Radio (Danish)
• Peter Utaka Career Statistics (Chinese)