Were Utaka playing top-flight football in Europe, he would have no contest as Nigeria’s best player of the past year.
‘Manpo’ has etched his name forever in the annals of African football as the only player to emerge top scorer in four different countries across two continents.
This season he emerged top scorer again to become the fourth best overall and the first African to emerge top scorer in both the Japanese top flight and the J-League 2.
He led the scorers’ chart from start to finish in the just concluded marathon 42-game format J-League 2 2020 season, netting 22 goals and missing just two games.
The 36-year-old marksman began his 2020 on a losing note at Renofa Yamaguchi, losing 1-0 on February 23.
Covid-19 scourge forced the league to be played four months later and Utaka bounced back with a brace in Kyoto’s 2-0 home win against Jubilo Iwata.
Interestingly, he didn’t find the back of the net in the final five games of the campaign, but his 22 goals were well saved in the Bank of Kyoto to edge out the closest rival with a gulf of six goals.
