Leon Kofana

Leon Kofana
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-06-20) 20 June 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth Solomon Islands
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Henderson Eels
Number 2
Youth career
–2019 Henderson Eels
2019–2020 Wellington Phoenix
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020– Henderson Eels
International career‡
2018–2019 Solomon Islands U17 7 (1)
2022– Solomon Islands 8 (0)
Medal record
Representing  Solomon Islands
MSG Prime Minister's Cup
Winner 2023 New Caledonia
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:05, 27 January 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16:05, 27 January 2023 (UTC)

Leon Kofana is a Solomon Islands footballer who currently plays for Telekom S-League club Henderson Eels and the Solomon Islands national team.

Club career

As a youth, Kofana played for his school club at White River Community High School. In 2017 the team advanced to the semi-final of the school league before being eliminated by Numbu Christian High School.[1] The following year the team finished third in the league with Kofana anchoring the defense in the bronze final match.[2]

In 2019 he and compatriot Raphael Lea'i received a scholarship to attend Scots College in New Zealand and be part of Wellington Phoenix FC's youth setup.[3] During their first season with the school team, it won its first-ever Premiership title in school history.[4] During his time with Wellington Phoenix, he was unable to appear in competitive matches because of FIFA's regulations regarding players under age eighteen.[5]

Both players were invited back to New Zealand for another year in 2020.[6] However, they decided to remain with their club team in the Solomon Islands.[7] Shortly thereafter, Kofana became a regular starter for Henderson Eels F.C. of the local Telekom S-League and was expected to play a large role in the team's 2020 OFC Champions League campaign. He went on to lead the team to a second-place finish in the league that season.[8]

In March 2020 at age seventeen Kofana and Lea'i achieved what had been a rare feat for players from the Pacific Islands, a trial with Melbourne Victory FC of Australia's A-League.[9] Despite receiving praise from club staff, neither player was signed to a contract following the two-week stint. Several issues, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, added uncertainty to if the players would return.[10]

International career

Following the Solomon Islands championship at the 2017 OFC Youth Futsal Tournament,[11] Kofana represented the nation in futsal at the youth level at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He scored two goals in the tournament.[12]

Kofana represented the Solomon Islands at the youth level at the 2018 OFC U-16 Championship.[13] He served as captain of the team at the tournament and scored a goal in a 5–0 victory over New Zealand.[14] The victory was the island nation's first over New Zealand at any level in twenty-five years.[15] He went on to represent the nation at the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.[16]

In 2019 he was part of the squad that traveled to Europe for that year's UEFA Development Tournament in Belarus.[17] The Solomon Islands went on to be surprised runners-up in the tournament.[18]

Kofana received his first senior international call-up in February 2020 as part of the provisional squad.[19] In March 2022, he was named to the Solomon Islands senior squad again for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification.[20] He went on to make his senior debut on 17 March 2022 in the team's opening match victory over the Cook Islands.[21] Following the team's first-place finish in its group, the Solomon Islands were eventually defeated by New Zealand in the final, costing the Solomon Islands a spot in the inter-confederation play-off.[22]

International career statistics

As of match played 30 September 2022[21]

Solomon Islands
Year Apps Goals
2022 8 0
2023 0 0
Total 8 0

References

  1. ^ Abana, Simon. "Numbu shows dominance in school league". Solomon Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  2. ^ Abana, Simon. "Honiara Football ends season". Solomon Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  3. ^ Ragaruma, Milton. "Education First". The Island Sun. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  4. ^ Abana, Simon. "GOLDEN BOY, Lea'i wins NZ College golden boot". Solomon Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  5. ^ Rollo, Phillip. "Oceania's brightest prospect, Raphael Le'ai, joins Wellington Phoenix academy". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  6. ^ Iroga, Robert. "Le'ai, Kofana returning to Wellington". Solomon Business Magazine. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  7. ^ Abana, Simon. "Duo to stay with Henderson Eels". Solomon Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  8. ^ "Henderson Eels look to age-grade stars". The Fiji Times. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  9. ^ Ewart, Richard. "Rising Solomon Islands soccer stars making an impact at Melbourne Victory FC". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  10. ^ Bjerkevoll, Ola. "Trial over for Solomons boys: "We are happy with our performances"". Football in Oceania. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  11. ^ "OFC Youth Futsal Tournament wraps up". Oceania Football Confederation. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Men's Youth Olympic Football Tournament Buenos Aires 2018". FIFA. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  13. ^ Abana, Simon. "Hosts take on PNG on familiar territory". Solomon Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  14. ^ "Solomon Islands vs. New Zealand". Oceania Football Confederation. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  15. ^ Abana, Simon. "Historic win over New Zealand since 1993". Solomon Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  16. ^ "Sport: Solomon Islands name U-17 FIFA World Cup squad". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  17. ^ Abana, Simon. "Young lads bound for Europe". Solomon Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  18. ^ "Sport: Solomons U17s finish runners-up at UEFA tournament". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  19. ^ Abana, Simon. "National team provisional squad released". Solomon Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  20. ^ Abana, Simon. "Solomon Islands name squad for Word Cup qualifiers". Solomon Islands Football Federation. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  21. ^ a b "NFT profile". National Football Teams. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  22. ^ Burgess, Michael. "Football: All Whites reach World Cup playoff with thrashing of Solomon Islands". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 27 January 2023.