Mushaga Bakenga

Mushaga Bakenga
Personal information
Full nameMushagalusa Bakenga
Joar Namugunga[1]
Date of birth8 August 1992
Place of birthTrondheim, Norway
Height1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing positionStriker
Club information
Current team
Molde
(loan from Club Brugge)
Number17
Youth career
2004National
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2005–2006National34(26)
2007–2008Rosenborg II14(6)
2009–2012Rosenborg34(12)
2012–Club Brugge8(1)
2012–2013Cercle Brugge (loan)27(7)
2013–2014→ Esbjerg (loan)24(6)
2014–2015Eintracht Braunschweig (loan)17(2)
2015–Molde (loan)1(0)
National team
2007Norway U-154(4)
2008Norway U-1612(8)
2009Norway U-1710(1)
2010Norway U-187(6)
2009–2011Norway U-1912(4)
2011–Norway U-2116(11)
2014–Norway U-231(0)
2014–Norway1(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 March 2015.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20 November 2014

Mushagalusa Bakenga Joar Namugunga (born 8 August 1992 in Trondheim, Norway), commonly known as Mushaga "Mush" Bakenga, is a Norwegian professional footballer of Congolese descent, who currently plays as a striker for Tippeligaen side Molde FK on loan from Club Brugge.

Career

At a very young age Bakenga was spotted, his rise to the first team is testament to his undoubted ability to score goals. From the age of 13 he had averaged over 50 goals a season, with these performances linking him to Bayern Munich and Manchester City. Bakenga began his career with SK Nationalkameratene[2] and joined Rosenborg BK in February 2007. He was on trial with Chelsea's academy in the spring.[3][4] From 2009 he trained with Rosenborg's senior team twice a week.[5] He also played on the Norwegian u-19 national team, despite not being 17 years old yet.[6] His first selection in the senior squad came in August 2009 against Bodø/Glimt, but he did not play.[7] His actual début in the Norwegian Premier League came on 23 September 2009 against Tromsø. He nearly scored in the goalless draw—a goal from Bakenga would have secured the league title for Rosenborg.[8]

In 2010, Bakenga was plagued by injuries and played only a few matches for Rosenborg. But, after scoring six times in pre-season, Bakenga secured a position in the starting line-up at the start of 2011 Norwegian Premier League. He scored Rosenborg's only goal in the loss against Brann, before a wonderful strike against Stabæk. Mush scored 12 league goals in 2011. In January 2012, Hannover 96 offered 10 million NOK for Bakenga, but Rosenborg rejected the offer.[9] Later in January, Rosenborg received another offer for Bakenga, this time for €2.6m from Club Brugge. Rosenborg accepted, and Bakenga signed a five-and-a-half-year contract on 28 January.[10] He scored in his debut for Club Brugge, in the 5–1 win against Beerschot on 5 February 2012.[11] It was not only the goal that he will remember from his debut: "I never ran so fast in my life. I did not even have time to explain to the coach what was wrong. Luckily I just made it in time," said Bakenga, having to run to the toilet during his debut match.[12]

Bakenga played in the 2013 Belgian Cup Final, which Cercle lost 2–0 against Genk.[13]

On 8 July 2014, he joined German club Eintracht Braunschweig on a one-year loan deal.[14]

On 18 March 2015, Bakenga cut short his Eintracht Braunschweig loan deal, signing a one-year loan deal with Norwegian champions Molde FK.[15] On March 30, seven minutes into his first match for Molde FK, he was carried off the pitch with a torn achilles tendon, sidelining him for at least six months.[16]

International career

Bakenga has represented Norway from under-15 level up to under-21 level.[17] He scored a hat-trick for the under-19 team in the match against Moldova U19 in April 2011.[18] Later the same year he made his debut for the under-21 team later the same year. He was not included in the Norwegian squad for the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, but scored four goals for the "new" under-21 team in the match against Poland U21 on 10 June 2013.[19]

Career statistics

As of 25 December 2014
Club Season Division League Cup Europe Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Rosenborg 2009 Tippeligaen 30000030
2010 50101070
2011 261234603516
Norway 341244704516
Club Brugge 2011–12 Jupiler Pro League 81000081
Cercle Brugge (loan) 2012–13 27764003311
Belgium 35864004112
Esbjerg (loan) 2013–14 Superliga 2461251309
Denmark 2461251309
Eintracht Braunschweig (loan) 2014–15 2. Bundesliga 1721000182
Germany 1721000182
Molde (loan) 2015 Tippeligaen 00000000
Norway 00000000
Career Total 11028121012113439

Honours

Club

Rosenborg

Club

Cercle Brugge

Personal life

His parents hail from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[22] He's the nephew of doctor Denis Mukwege.[23]

References

  1. "Skatten 2009". VG Nett (in Norwegian). Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  2. Chelsea Trial Norwegian Starlet Mushaga Joar Bakenga
  3. "Derfor har RBK guttelag neste år". Adresseavisen (in Norwegian). 6 September 2007.
  4. "Da Chelsea var på Nissekollen". Adresseavisen (in Norwegian). 6 September 2007.
  5. Oddekalv, Line L. (12 June 2009). "Gjesteopptreden med gevinst". Adresseavisen (in Norwegian).
  6. Oddekalv, Line L. (19 June 2009). "- Det er ikke sprint, men maraton!". Adresseavisen (in Norwegian).
  7. Strøm, Ole Kristian (15 August 2009). "- Jeg har et stort hjerte for RBK". VG Sport (in Norwegian).
  8. Sagbakken, Ole K.; Bråten, Roy Tommy (19 June 2009). "Jeg kommer til å tenke på det i 10–15 år fremover". Adresseavisen (in Norwegian).
  9. "RBK avslo Bakenga-bud på 10 millioner kroner". tv2.no (in Norwegian). TV 2. 9 January 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  10. Hansen, Knut Arne (29 January 2012). "Bakenga klar for Club Brugge". vg.no (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  11. "Bakenga scoret i debuten". Norwegian News Agency (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. 5 February 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  12. "Season review: Belgium". Berend Scholten. UEFA.com. 22 May 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  13. "Ingen cupjubel for Bakenga" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. Norwegian News Agency. 9 May 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  14. "Mushaga Bakenga fünfter Neuzugang der Löwen" (in German). eintracht.com. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  15. "Mushaga Bakenga op uitleenbasis naar Molde". http://clubbrugge.be/'' (in Dutch). Club Brugge KV. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  16. http://www.nrk.no/sport/mushaga-bakenga-rok-akillesen-1.12289664
  17. NFF Profil fotball.no
  18. Drangsholt, Gaute Bugge (28 April 2011). "Hat trick fra Bakenga sikret G19-seier" (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  19. Hove, Lasse Bjarte (10 June 2013). "Se Bakenga score fire mot Polen" (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  20. "Mestvinnende spillere" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2 November 2010.
  21. "ROSENBORG-JUBEL I JUNIORFINALEN" (in Norwegian). Football Association of Norway. 31 October 2009. Retrieved 2 November 2009.
  22. Myren, Thomas (5 September 2009). "Bakenga håper på RBK-debut" (in Norwegian). Rosenborg BK. Retrieved 24 September 2009.
  23. Øgar, Sindre (15 January 2014). "Det er sånt et barn ikke skal se og oppleve" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. Retrieved 15 January 2014.