Ugo Ihemelu

Football player infobox| playername= Ugo Ihemelu
fullname = Ugochukwu Ihemelu
nickname =


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1983|4|3
cityofbirth = Enugu
countryofbirth = Nigeria
height = height|ft=6|in=0
currentclub = Colorado Rapids
clubnumber =
position = defender
youthyears = 2001-04
youthclubs = Southern Methodist University
years = 2005-06
2007–
clubs = Los Angeles Galaxy
Colorado Rapids
caps(goals) = 54 (0)
25 (1)
nationalyears = 2006
2008-
nationalteam = United States
Canada
nationalcaps(goals) = 1 (0) [cite web|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/common/stContent.jsp_16-06MNTStat.html|title=2006 Men's National Team Stats|publisher=U.S. Soccer|language=english|accessdate=2008-06-17]
0 (0) [cite web|url=http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?sub=1&Press_ID=3211|title=Mitchell picks roster for trip to Kingstown|date=2008-06-11|publisher=Canadian Soccer Association|language=english|accessdate=2008-06-17]
pcupdate = 4 November 2007
ntupdate = 4 November 2007

Ugochukwu (Ugo) Ihemelu (born April 3, 1983 in Enugu, Nigeria) is a Nigerian-American-Canadian soccer defender, who is currently with the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. He was called up to Canada men's national soccer team on 8 June 2008 and traveled with the team to St. Vincent. Ihemelu's eligibility to play for Canada is in doubt, however, either due to his appearing for the United States on January 29, 2006, against Norway or due to questions over his Canadian citizenship. For this reason, the Canada men's national soccer team did not field Ihemelu in their World Cup qualifiers against Saint Vincent & the Grenadines.

While the Canadian Soccer Association has Ihemelu's hometown listed as Winnipeg, Manitoba, Ugo grew up in the United States and attended Cedar Hill High School in Cedar Hill, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. Ihemelu played college soccer at Southern Methodist University, and was named All-Missouri Valley Conference his junior and senior seasons. The Los Angeles Galaxy drafted him with the fifth overall pick of the 2005 MLS SuperDraft. He helped the Galaxy to the US Open Cup and MLS Cup double in his rookie season. After his second season in LA, on December 1, 2006, Ihemelu was traded to Colorado Rapids.

Ihemelu also hit the crossbar on Soccer AMs Crossbar challenge (Shown on March 29th)

ee also

*List of current MLS players

External links

* [http://web.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=lag&player=ihemelu_u&playerId=ihe415291&statType=current Galaxy roster entry]
* [http://www.soccer365.com/_365_Interviews/page_123_97500.shtml Ihemelu interview with Soccer365]
* [http://www.yanks-abroad.com/content.php?mode=players&id=105 Databse entry at Yanks Abroad]

References

Persondata
NAME=Ihemelu, Ugo
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Ihemelu, Ugochukweu (full name)
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Professional soccer player
DATE OF BIRTH=April 3, 1983
PLACE OF BIRTH=Enugu, Nigeria
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=