Handwalla_Bwana

Handwalla Bwana

Handwalla Bwana

Somali professional footballer

Handwalla Bwana (born June 25, 1999)[1] is a Somali professional footballer who plays as a winger.

Quick Facts Personal information, Date of birth ...

Early life

Bwana was born a Somali refugee in Mombasa, Kenya, spending the first six years of his childhood at a refugee camp in Kakuma in northwestern Kenya.[2] His family resettled in the United States in 2010, initially in Atlanta, but later in Seattle, where he attended Ballard High School.[3] Bwana said "I fell in love with the game because my dad played it. My dad was a professional in Somalia".[4] Describing how his childhood shaped him as a player, Bwana has stated that "playing with a garbage ball...made me better with my feet".[5]

Career

Bwana joined the Seattle Sounders FC Academy in 2015.[6] On September 11, 2015, Bwana made his professional debut for USL club Seattle Sounders FC 2 in a 1–0 defeat to the Orange County Blues.[7] He spent two seasons at the University of Washington.

Bwana was signed by the Sounders MLS side as a Homegrown Player on January 11, 2018.[8] Bwana made his debut for the club against expansion side Los Angeles FC as a substitute on March 4, 2018, an appearance which included a shot from outside the box that hit the crossbar.[9] He started Seattle's CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal tie against Mexican club Chivas three days later,[10] but did not appear in the second leg in Guadalajara, as Seattle lost 3–1 on aggregate. Bwana started his first MLS game against FC Dallas on March 18, 2018, a 3–0 defeat.[11] His first goal was on May 9, 2018, the game winner against Toronto FC,[12] and scored again a week later against Orlando City SC.[13]

The Sounders traded Bwana to Nashville SC on October 21, 2020, in exchange for Jimmy Medranda and $225,000 of General Allocation Money.[14]

On August 19, 2022, Bwana joined USL Championship side Memphis 901 on loan for the remainder of the 2022 season.[15]

On January 10, 2023, Bwana and Nashville mutually agreed to part ways.[16] The following day, the player officially joined USL Championship side Charleston Battery on a free transfer.[17] After missing the entire season due to injury, he left Charleston following the 2023 season.[18]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 30 November 2020[19]
More information Club, Season ...

Honours

Seattle Sounders FC

Notes

  1. Tacoma Defiance were known as Seattle Sounders FC 2.
  2. Appearance(s) in CONCACAF Champions League
  3. Appearance(s) in MLS Cup Playoffs

References

  1. [1]
    @briansciaretta (October 9, 2020). "In a bit of cool player news in ways beyond soccer, I've heard that Sounders winger Handwalla Bwana has officially become an American citizen. Amazing story after spending time as a child in a refugee camp in Kenya and learning to play with homemade soccer balls. Congrats to him" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. [2]
    Bien, Louis (March 5, 2018). "Handwalla Bwana's journey from Kakuma refugee camp to the Seattle Sounders". SB Nation. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  3. [3]
    Pentz, Matt (October 28, 2016). "Handwalla Bwana could be the next Seattle soccer star. But first he must conquer his American Dream". Seattle Times. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  4. [4]
    Episode 27 - "Refuge & Humility" W/Soroosh Abdi & Handwalla Bwana, 32 minutes 49 seconds, retrieved September 14, 2020
  5. [5]
    "New Homegrown Player Handwalla Bwana sits down for first interview". SoundersFC.com. Seattle Sounders FC. January 12, 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  6. [6]
    Molinari, Alessandro; Tanaka, Ella (March 28, 2015). "Junior Handwalla Bwana plays soccer for Seattle Sounders Academy". BallardTalisman.com. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
  7. [7]
    "S2 falls 1-0 at home to OC Blues FC, needs win in season finale to advance to USL Playoffs". SoundersFC.com. Sounders FC Communications. September 11, 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
  8. [8]
    Mondello, Joseph (January 11, 2018). "Analysis: Where will Handwalla Bwana fit with the Sounders?". Seattle Sounders.
  9. [9]
    Ciaccio, Danny (March 4, 2018). "Seattle Sounders rookie Handwalla Bwana impresses, flashes creative flair in his MLS debut". Seattle Sounders.
  10. [10]
    Krasnoo, Ryan (March 8, 2018). "Seattle Sounders midfielder Handwalla Bwana plays beyond his years, earns high marks in first Senior Team start vs. Chivas". Seattle Sounders.
  11. [11]
    "Seattle Sounders versus FC Dallas starting lineup: Handwalla Bwana makes first MLS start, Kelvin Leerdam first start of season". Seattle Sounders. March 18, 2018.
  12. [12]
    Boehm, Charles (May 9, 2018). "Toronto FC 1, Seattle Sounders 2 | 2018 MLS Match Recap". MLS. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  13. [13]
    Evans, Jayda (May 28, 2019). "During Ramadan, Sounders' Nouhou, Handwalla Bwana make it clear: 'Religion comes first'". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
  14. [14]
    "Sounders FC trades Handwalla Bwana to Nashville SC for Jimmy Medranda and General Allocation Money". SoundersFC. October 21, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  15. [15]
    "Memphis 901 FC adds Nashville SC's Handwalla Bwana on Loan".
  16. [16]
    "Nashville SC, winger Handwalla Bwana mutually part ways | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer.
  17. [17]
    "Battery add attacking midfielder Handwalla Bwana". Charleston Battery. January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  18. [18]
    [email protected], NICHOLAS MURRAY- (December 1, 2023). "Barajas leads Charleston Battery returnees in first roster moves". USL Championship.
  19. [19]
    Handwalla Bwana at Soccerway. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
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