Kyoto Sanga of Japan striker Peter Utaka has continued to defy age to find the target in regular fashion and the former OB Odense hitman doesn’t appear to slow down soon as IKENWA NNABUOGOR profiles his incredible goals records…
Peter Utaka has continued to demonstrate that age does not have anything to do with his performance in the beautiful game as he has resumed his typical goal-scoring acts as the J-League got underway two weeks ago as he’s netted three times already to sit pretty on top of the top scorers’ chart after four rounds of games.
Utaka’s goals hauled Kyoto Sanga back to the highest level of Japanese league football after 11 years in the wilderness, scoring 21 goals to finish second on the scorers’ chart to cap a glorious season.
“Manpo” was on a double mission for his Japanese side and chasing a double record of winning the J2 League title and emerging top scorer for the second time in the lower rung of Japanese football, but his best was enough to fire Kyoto Sanga back to the apex league for the first time in 11 years.
It was an interesting double matchup for the eventual league winners Jubilo Iwata on one side and Brazilian striker Lucian on the other in the nervy race to the league title and top scorers’ award for Kyoto Sanga and Utaka as both clubs and the direct rival strikers maintained the double challenges from start to finish last season.
Jubilo Iwata and Lukian prevailed on the final match day as a point and a goal apiece separated Kyoto Sanga and “Manpo” on one side and Jubilo Iwata and Lukian on the other as the rival club and mate grabbed the league title and the top scorer’s award apiece.
For “Manpo”, what mattered most was the fulfilment of lifting Kyoto Sanga again after taking them 11 years of fruitless voyage to get to their destination, as he savoured his impressive goal feat which he’s excited has put him in the Japanese soccer folklore.
When all thought he was done with his brilliant illustrious career last season, “Manpo” had other plans: keeping up with all he got to taste the Japanese top flight again – his fourth time in his Japanese sojourn and also his fourth club in the top league.
Like the old fox that has refused to forget his old tricks, “Manpo” returned to the J1 in grand style, netting the lone goal in their sweet league opener win at home against Urawa Reds to remind watchers he’s still got plenty goals in his tanks and could be mounting the podium again with the goaledor’s prize firmly and proudly glued to his hands amidst smiles.
It took the Enugu-born star just a second taste of the Japanese top flight to emerge top scorer, hitting the target 19 times to jointly win the award for Sanfreece Hiroshima.
Shimuze Pulse welcomed him to the Japan top flight for the first time after moving over from China in 2015, to begin a journey that has turned out to be his best and the most successful in his career that took off in his Enugu home city that also took some detours in Egypt, UAE and Croatia before finally getting off the mark in Belgium.
His impressive goal scoring track at the fifth-tier Belgian football league at Patro Maasmechelen is still documented and unfortunately not celebrated because the spotlights didn’t bring him out well enough for the public to hail him, but he would much later at Royal Antwerp which ushered him into the world.
KVC Westerlo in the Belgian top flight grabbed over the 16-year old who had shared the goal scoring responsibilities with former Arsenal Brazilian superstar striker, Eduardo Da Silva at the youth side of Croatian top side Dinamo Zagreb, to begin his interesting soccer story.
But it was in the Belgian second division that Utaka grabbed his first league top scorer award, netting 22 times and missing promotion to the top flight by a whisker after losing by a lone goal in the play-off final.
His successes in Denmark, China and Japan in front of goal clearly demonstrated his supreme consistency over the years since his Belgian top scorer award opener.
One unique thing about Utaka’s top scoring achievements is that his feat knows no bounds – he’s clearly not saving his best for only the top flight football, but proving he can still do it in the lower rungs.
Twice he’s done in the lower rungs in Belgium and Japan and chased a third last season for a rare record in Japan, but Lukian conspired with his side Jubilo Iwata to deny him this incredible record.
The irony of all ironies in his illustrious career was winning the league title for the first and only time thus far in his career in Denmark for Vejle BK, but incredibly not firing blanks in his meagre six-game appearance for his four-month injury-induced sojourn at Vejle.
The highlights of Utaka’s goal scoring achievements remain the rare feat of leading the scorers’ chart from start to finish in the colours of Royal Antwerp, OB Odense and Kyoto Sanga.
Netting all his 18 goals for OB Odense to grab his second goaledor’s award in his illustrious career against the run of play – no penalties, no set pieces – was also a mouth-watering feat and a rarity in the beautiful game.
Goal scoring comes easy for “Manpo” as he is under no pressure to bury a chance and a half chance depending on how the chance lands on his feet.
Keeping a calm disposition in the vital area is his strongest suit and that cannot be said of most strikers leading them to miss even the simplest of chances.
“This is what I’ve been doing since my street football days in Enugu, keeping it so calm and not letting in any kind of pressure,” “Manpo” explained.
“It’s a personal philosophy I charted for myself and it’s really helped me.
“I give God all the glory for making things happen for me goal wise and it’s been as good as it gets.”
Positioning for “Manpo” is divine as well as academic as chances gladly land on his feet as gifts and making hay with those has consistently continued to make headlines.
His effective use of both feet completes his killer instincts in front of goal – whichever foot the chances land on, smart money is he will punish the goalkeeper.
“Manpo” has continued to keep a regular date with goalkeepers even from his academy days at Riverlane Academy, where he played alongside his childhood pal, former Schalke 04 marksman Chined Obasi, and he’s not done yet with the date the goalkeepers hate to keep.
Typically, he’s back again for Kyoto Sanga at 38, and it’s business as usual for the former Beijing Gouan striker and he could be mounting the podium again for that familiar award and the garlands round his neck to cap yet another glorious season.
Added to his renowned achievements in the front of goal, is maintaining a quiet and calm demeanor, putting up no airs about his incredible feats, and letting his pious Christian faith and belief in God do the rest.
Perhaps, “Manpo” has the Papal consecration to continue scoring goals.
