LAFC announced today the signing of 19-year-old forward Kwadwo “Mahala” Opoku from the Attram De Visser Soccer Academy in Ghana. Mahala will occupy an international spot on the Club’s roster pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P1 Visa.
“We are pleased to announce Mahala as our first signing from the Attram De Visser Soccer Academy and we look forward to his continued growth as a professional,” said LAFC Co-President & General Manager John Thorrington. “This move and partnership with the Academy demonstrates our ongoing commitment to our player development system, and we are excited to provide young players from Ghana with the opportunity to train and develop at LAFC for years to come.”
Since the end of the 2019 season, LAFC has acquired a total of eight players aged 21 or younger: Francisco Ginella, José Cifuentes, Bryce Duke, Tony Leone, Christian Torres, Erik Dueñas, Mohamed Traore, and Mahala. LAFC’s roster is currently comprised of 28 first team players with an average age of 24 years, 198 days, which ranks as the youngest roster in Major League Soccer.
Prior to LAFC, Mahala tallied 29 goals in 64 matches for the Attram De Visser Soccer Academy. Internationally, Mahala has represented Ghana at the U-17 and U-20 levels, including his participation at the 2017 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations in Gabon, in which he appeared in two of the team’s group stage matches.
Led by former Ghanaian international Godwin Attram and former head coach and scout Piet De Visser, the Attram De Visser Soccer Academy’s goal is to provide children in Ghana with a better education and hope for the future through the game of soccer. Currently, the Academy boasts 10 players representing Ghana at the U-17, U-20 and U-23 teams.
With eight games left in the regular season, LAFC sits in 5th place in the Western Conference with a 6-6-3 record (21 points). Next up is a trip to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to face off against the Colorado Rapids on Wednesday, October 7 at 6:00 p.m. PT (YouTube TV, Estrella TV, ESPN LA 710, ESPN App, 980 AM).
TRANSACTION: Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) signs forward Kwadwo “Mahala” Opoku. The 19-year-old will occupy an international spot on the Club’s roster pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P1 Visa.
VITALS:
Full Name: Kwadwo “Mahala” Opoku
Position: Forward
Born: 07/13/2001
Height: 5-5
Weight: 155 lbs.
Birthplace: Accra, Ghana
Last Club: Attram DeVisser Soccer Academy
Citizenship: Ghana
Instagram: @mahala.jnr
