Raphael Lea'i

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Raphael Lea'i
Personal information
Full name Raphael Ohanua Lea'i
Date of birth (2003-09-09) 9 September 2003 (age 18)
Place of birth Honiara, Solomon Islands
Position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Henderson Eels
Number 9
Youth career
2015 Kossa
2016–2018 Marist
2019 Wellington Phoenix
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018 Marist 6 (4)
2019– Henderson Eels 32 (67)
National team‡
2018–2019 Solomon Islands U17 12 (14)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 3 July 2021
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 31 July 2019

Raphael Ohanua Lea'i (born 9 September 2003) is a Solomon Islands footballer who plays as a striker for Telekom S-League club Henderson Eels.

Early life[]

Lea'i was born on 9 September 2003 in Honiara. Taking up futsal at the age of 12, he played for local side Kossa before moving to Marist.[1]

Club career[]

Following promising performances at international level, Lea'i was noticed by foreign clubs, including Argentine Primera División club Deportivo Godoy Cruz and Australian A-League side Brisbane Roar. Both clubs offered him a trial, however due to FIFA regulations on youth footballers, he was unable to sign an overseas professional contract before the age of 18.[2][3]

By the end of 2018, Lea'i had made his senior debut for Marist scoring four goals across six matches in the 2018 Solomon Islands S-League. For 2019, Lea'i was offered a scholarship to New Zealand high school Scots College, affiliated with A-League club Wellington Phoenix.[4] He ended the season as the league's top scorer, having scored 15 of the team's 41 goals for the season.[5]

Following his time in New Zealand, Lea'i signed with Henderson Eels for the end of the 2019–20 S-League season. In his first season he scored 24 goals in seven matches, including a haul of 11 goals in a single match against Real Kakamora.[6][7] At the end of the 2019–20 S-League season, Lea'i was invited to a weeklong trial with A-League side Melbourne Victory.[8]

International career[]

By the age of 14, Lea'i had impressed enough to be selected for the 2017 OFC Youth Futsal Tournament. Despite being three years younger than some of his opponents, Lea'i shone through as the tournament's best player and top scorer. He was pivotal to the success of the undefeated Solomon Islands team, helping them sweep aside the competition to take the title as well as qualifying for the 2018 Youth Olympics in Argentina. At the 2018 Youth Olympics, Lea'i scored seven goals as the Solomon Islands were eliminated in the group stage.

In September 2018, Lea'i was selected for the 2018 OFC U-16 Championship, held in Honiara. Once again, he was crucial to the success of the Solomon Islands team, scoring seven goals in three consecutive 5–0 wins over Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Vanuatu. Solomon Islands subsequently qualified for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup by defeating Fiji 3–1 in the semi-final. In the final, he missed a penalty just before full-time, with New Zealand eventually prevailing 5–4 in a penalty shootout.[1]

Lea'i was selected to take part in the 2019 U-17 Minsk Tournament in preparation for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup. He scored in all three games; one in a 2–1 win over Moldova, as well as the lone goal in a 1–1 draw against Belarus and both goals in a 2–2 draw against Kazakhstan.[5]

In the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup, Lea'i appeared in all three games - against Italy, Paraguay and Mexico - as the Solomon Islands were eliminated in the group stage.

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Raphael Lea'i, an artist in football and futsal". MyCujoo. 2 October 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  2. ^ "A-League club wants Rafa". The Island Sun. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  3. ^ "No Argentina trial for Solomon youngster Raphael Lea'i". FootballOceania.com. 29 November 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  4. ^ "Soccer Youngster Off to New Zealand". SolomonTimes.com. 28 February 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "The brilliant year of Raphael Lea'i". OceaniaFootballCenter.home.blog. 30 December 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  6. ^ "Raphael Lea'i scores 11 as Henderson Eels demolishes Kakamora". OceaniaFootballCenter.home.blog. 25 January 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  7. ^ "Raphael Lea'i wins TSL Golden Boot". OceaniaFootballCenter.home.blog. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  8. ^ "Raphael Leai & Leon Kofana off for trial with Melbourne Victory". Solomon Islands Football Federation. 29 February 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.

External links[]

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