Kazenga LuaLua
 LuaLua at Brighton & Hove Albion in 2011 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 10 December 1990 | ||
| Place of birth | Kinshasa, Zaire | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Playing position | Winger | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Brighton & Hove Albion | ||
| Number | 25 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2005–2007 | Newcastle United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2007–2011 | Newcastle United | 8 | (0) |
| 2009 | → Doncaster Rovers (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2010 | → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2010 | → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 11 | (4) |
| 2011 | → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2011– | Brighton & Hove Albion | 56 | (6) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 09:17, 31 January 2014 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Kazenga LuaLua (born 10 December 1990) is a Congolese-English footballer who plays as a winger for Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion.
Career
Newcastle United
Born in Kinshasa, LuaLua moved to England shortly after his birth. He moved to Newcastle as a youngster, as his older brother Lomana LuaLua was signed by Newcastle United. Kazenga progressed in Newcastle's youth academy, and played for the reserve team. He was called up to the senior squad for the first time for the FA Cup third round game against Birmingham City on 6 January 2007. At just 16 years and 27 days old, LuaLua would have been the youngest player to play for Newcastle: the record is currently held by Steve Watson.[1]
He was part of the Newcastle youth team that reached the semi-final of the FA Youth Cup in the 2005–06 season. LuaLua finally made his first-team debut on 6 January 2008, coming on in the 74th minute of an FA Cup thitd round game against Stoke City as a substitute for Damien Duff.[2]
LuaLua made his Premier League debut on 19 January 2008, coming on as a substitute again for Duff at St. James's Park in a match against Bolton Wanderers and went on to make several appearances for the first team later that season, before joining Doncaster Rovers of the Championship on loan.[3] On 9 February 2010, LuaLua joined League One side Brighton & Hove Albion on loan, initially for one month.[4] LuaLua was recommended to Brighton manager Gus Poyet by Dennis Wise.[5] LuaLua rejoined Brighton on loan for four months on 30 August 2010. He then made his debut back at Brighton on 11 September 2010 and made it one to remember scoring a rocket 25-yard free kick in style and celebrating with his famous double backflip.[6] He won the Football League Young Player of the Month in October 2010[7] On 13 November LuaLua broke his leg playing against Hartlepool United in a League One game.[8] LuaLua shortly returned to Newcastle to make his recovery, and expressed his hope that he may play again in the 2010–11 season.[9] Gus Poyet stated that LuaLua played a key part in Brighton's promotion to the Championship.
LuaLua remained at Newcastle for treatment and made his first Premier League appearance of the season in a 2–2 draw with Chelsea on the penultimate week of the season. It was LuaLua's dangerous run and cut inside around Branislav Ivanović which won Newcastle the corner leading to their late equaliser.[10]
Brighton & Hove Albion
LuaLua rejoined Brighton on a six-month loan with a view to a permanent deal on 16 July 2011.[11] He signed a permanent deal with Brighton for an undisclosed fee on 21 November 2011.[12] LuaLua scored his first goal as a permanent Brighton player on 14 February 2012, a long-range free kick that tied a home match against Millwall 2–2. LuaLua's goal came two minutes before the end and salvaged a point for Brighton. The next Sunday, LuaLua scored a free-kick into the Kop End at Anfield in the FA Cup, against Liverpool as Brighton lost 6–1. With competition from fellow wingers Craig Noone, Will Buckley and Vicente, LuaLua swapped between starting and coming off the bench as an impact substitute in the following weeks. He gave what many fans named as his best performance to date in an Albion shirt against Derby County, where he received a standing ovation upon being substituted.
Career statistics
Club
- As of 28 January 2014[13]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other[note 1] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Newcastle United | 2007–08 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 2008–09 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Doncaster Rovers (loan) | 2008–09 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Newcastle United | 2009–10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 2009–10 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Newcastle United | 2010–11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 2010–11 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 4 |
| Newcastle United | 2011–12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 2011–12 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 18 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | |
| 2012–13 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 5 | |
| 2013–14 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
| Brighton & Hove Albion Total | 87 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 98 | 10 | |
| Total | 99 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 117 | 10 | |
Personal life
He is the younger brother of Karabükspor striker Lomana LuaLua. He is also the cousin of striker Trésor Kandol and Crystal Palace midfielder Yannick Bolasie, and also the brother-in-law of Charlton Athletic striker Yann Kermorgant.
Honours
- Newcastle United
- Brighton & Hove Albion
- Individual
- Wor Jackie Milburn Trophy – 2008
- Football League Young Player of the Month – October 2010
Notes
- ↑ Includes other competitive competitions, including the FA Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup, Intercontinental Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
References
- ↑ "Steve Watson Soccernet profile". ESPN. 16 July 2002. Retrieved 28 January 2008.
- ↑ Craig Hope (7 January 2008). "Sam Speaks: Cup Kids A Big Bonus".
- ↑ "Doncaster sign Premier League duo". BBC News. 26 March 2009. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
- ↑ "Albion sign Toon talent". The Argus. 9 February 2010. Retrieved 9 February 2010.
- ↑ "Newcastle star joins Brighton on loan". Mirrorfootball.co.uk. 9 February 2010. Retrieved 9 February 2010.
- ↑ "Poyet's Delighted by LuaLua Return". Seagulls.co.uk. 30 August 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
- ↑ LuaLua FL Young Player For October Brighton and Hove Albion Official Website, 22 November 2010
- ↑ "Brighton & Hove Albion rocked by Kazenga LuaLua injury". BBC News. 15 November 2010. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
- ↑ "LuaLua Suffers Broken Leg". nufc.co.uk. 15 November 2010. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
- ↑ "Chelsea 2–2 Newcastle". BBC Sport. 15 May 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
- ↑ "Seagulls swoop for LuaLua". Sky Sports (Sky Sports). 16 July 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
- ↑ "Brighton & Hove Albion complete Kazenga LuaLua signing". BBC Sport. 21 November 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- ↑ "Kazenga LuaLua Career Stats". Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
External links
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