Danny Mwanga facts for kids
Mwanga with the Philadelphia Union in 2011
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jean-Marie Daniel Mwanga | ||
| Date of birth | July 17, 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Kinshasa, Zaire | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2006–2010 | Westside Metros | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2009 | Oregon State Beavers | 29 | (18) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2012 | Philadelphia Union | 61 | (12) |
| 2012 | Portland Timbers | 18 | (3) |
| 2013–2014 | Colorado Rapids | 19 | (0) |
| 2014 | → New York Cosmos (loan) | 8 | (1) |
| 2015 | Orlando City SC | 4 | (0) |
| 2016 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 5 | (0) |
| 2016 | → Ottawa Fury (loan) | 7 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Jean-Marie Daniel "Danny" Mwanga (born July 17, 1991) is a former professional soccer player. He was born in Congo and later became an American citizen. Danny played as a forward, which means he was usually trying to score goals for his team.
Contents
Danny Mwanga's Early Life and Soccer Journey
Danny Mwanga was born in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). His father passed away when Danny was young, during a difficult time in his home country. His mother had to leave him and his sisters with their grandmother for a while.
In 2006, Danny moved to the United States. He reunited with his mother and settled in Portland, Oregon. He went to Jefferson High School there.
Playing College Soccer
Before becoming a professional, Danny played club soccer for Westside Metros Soccer Club. He then played college soccer at Oregon State University (OSU).
- In his first year at OSU (2008), he started 11 games and scored four goals. He was named the "Freshman of the Year" for the Pacific-10 Conference.
- The next year, he was named the "Player of the Year" in the conference. He scored 14 goals in 18 games. He was also chosen as a second team All-American, which means he was one of the best college players in the country.
Danny Mwanga's Professional Soccer Career
Danny Mwanga was a top pick in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft. He was chosen first overall by the new team, Philadelphia Union. This was a big moment for him!
Starting with Philadelphia Union
Danny made his first professional appearance in the very first game of the 2010 MLS season. On May 15, he scored his first goal for the Union. It was a goal in "stoppage time" (extra time at the end of the game) that helped his team get a 1-1 tie against FC Dallas.
Two weeks later, he scored another stoppage-time goal. This one helped the Union win 3-2 against Houston Dynamo. In his first season, he scored seven goals in 24 games. He was named "Rookie of the Year" by Soccer America and was a finalist for the MLS Rookie of the Year Award.
In 2011, Danny continued to play well. He scored two goals in a game against Toronto FC, which Philadelphia won 6-2. He was even nominated for the MLS All-Star Game. His second season ended with 5 goals from 28 games. The team made it to the playoffs but lost to Houston.
Moving to Other Teams
In June 2012, Danny was traded to the Portland Timbers. He played 18 games for them and scored 3 goals.
Before the 2013 season, he was traded again, this time to the Colorado Rapids. He played 19 games for them over two seasons.
In August 2014, Danny was loaned to the NASL club New York Cosmos. He made his debut on August 30 and helped set up a goal. The next week, he scored his first goal for the Cosmos. He finished the 2014 season with one goal and one assist in eight games for the Cosmos.
After the 2014 season, Colorado decided not to keep him. He was then picked by Orlando City SC in the 2014 MLS Expansion Draft. He played 4 games for Orlando City in 2015.
In December 2015, Danny signed with the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the North American Soccer League. In August 2016, he was loaned to another NASL team, Ottawa Fury, for the rest of the season.
Representing the United States
Danny Mwanga became a US citizen on June 24, 2013. He has said that he would like to play for the U.S. national team instead of his home country, Congo. He mentioned that playing for the U.S. in a World Cup would be a "wonderful opportunity."
See also
In Spanish: Danny Mwanga para niños
