Sanni Issa

Sanni Issa
Personal information
Date of birth (1991-08-17) 17 August 1991 (age 35)
Place of birth Kano, Nigeria
Position Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2011 Lautoka
2011–2012 Rewa
2012 Suva
2012–2013 Ba FA
2013–2014 Amicale
2014 WaiBOP United
2014–2015 Auckland City 4 (0)
2016 WaiBOP United 6 (2)
Lynn-Avon United
2017 Ba FA
2018 Manukau United 19 (19)
2018–2019 Waitakere United 8 (2)
2019–2021 Manukau United 44 (21)
2020 Coastal Spirit 2 (4)
2021 Birkenhead United
2022 Christchurch United 10 (11)
2022–2023 Rewa
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Sanni Issa (born 17 August 1991) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward.

Career

Born in Nigeria, Issa moved to Oceania in 2010 to join Fijian club Lautoka. He also played for Rewa and Suva in Fiji, before joining Ba FA in 2012. While at Ba, he became both the top goalscorer and best player at the 2012–13 OFC Champions League, scoring nine goals as Ba reached the semi-finals.

In 2013, following the Fiji Football Association's decision to ban foreign players from league competitions, Issa moved to Vanuatu to join Amicale, where he helped them reach the 2014 OFC Champions League final, losing to Auckland City. In August 2014, he trialed with both Mangere United and Auckland City, and eventually signed for WaiBOP United in September, but issues over his visa requirements meant Issa didn't play a match for them.

In December 2014, he joined Auckland City, and was chosen as part of their 2014 FIFA Club World Cup squad in Morocco, where he scored the winning goals in two penalty shootouts as Auckland City finished third. Issa later signed for WaiBOP United in January 2016, but decided to terminate his contract in September.

In February 2017, Issa returned to Ba FA. In 2020, he was playing for Manukau United. After two stints at Manukau United and one at Waitakere United between 2018 and 2021, he joined Birkenhead United in June 2021.

In July 2022, Issa rejoined Rewa ahead of the 2022 OFC Champions League group stage, later spending the 2023 Fiji Premier League season at the club.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Amadeu, Pedro (18 June 2020). "Sanni Issa: a successful trajectory in Oceanian football". Oceania Football Center.
  2. ↑ "Auckland City book ticket to Morocco". Oceaniafootball.com. 20 May 2013. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013.
  3. ↑ Deo, Rohit (20 May 2013). "Issa wins 2 OFC awards". www.fijivillage.com. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
  4. ↑ "Issa makes international move". Oceania Football Confederation. 8 November 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  5. ↑ "Trial set for Sanni Issa with Mangere FC". Vanuatu Daily Post. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  6. ↑ Anderson, Ian (2 September 2014). "WaiBop United sign top striker Sanni Issa". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  7. 1 2 Voerman, Andrew (12 January 2016). "Ryan Tinsley feeling back to his best as WaiBop Utd prepare for Southern visit". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  8. ↑ "Issa named in Morocco squad". Oceania Football Confederation. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
  9. ↑ Palethorpe, John (7 December 2016). "From part-time to the big time: Auckland City and the Club World Cup". These Football Times. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  10. ↑ "Maybe now they'll know me in Nigeria!- Issa". Vanuatu Daily Post. 24 December 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  11. ↑ Anderson, Ian (26 September 2014). "WaiBop coach still hopeful of quality strike-force". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  12. ↑ Krishant, Naveel. "Sanni Issa named in Ba OFC team". www.fijivillage.com. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  13. ↑ "Manickum eager for more". Auckland City FC. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  14. ↑ "Rewa FC boosted by inclusion of former OCL Golden Boot". Oceania Football Confederation. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  15. ↑ Chandar, Reginald (16 February 2023). "Experienced Issa to feature at Rews". fijilive. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  16. ↑ Deo, Dhanjay (19 April 2013). "Issa becomes the highest goal scorer in OFC". www.fijivillage.com. Retrieved 8 May 2026.