Kusini Yengi
Yengi with Western Sydney Wanderers in 2022
Personal information
Full name Kusini Boja Yengi
Date of birth (1999-01-15) 15 January 1999
Place of birth Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Portsmouth
Number 19
Youth career
0000 Fulham United
2014 SA NTC
2015–2017 Adelaide Comets
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2018 Adelaide Comets 16 (0)
2018–2020 Adelaide United NPL 23 (3)
2019–2022 Adelaide United 27 (6)
2022–2023 Western Sydney Wanderers 18 (4)
2023– Portsmouth 12 (3)
International career‡
2022 Australia U23 4 (0)
2023– Australia 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:35, 24 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13:47, 16 November 2023 (UTC)

Kusini Boja Yengi (born 15 January 1999) is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a striker for EFL League One club Portsmouth and the Australia national team.

Early life

Yengi was born in Adelaide to Ben, a refugee advocate born in what is now South Sudan who emigrated to Australia in the early 1970s,[1] and Emma Yengi, an English-born primatologist.[2][3]

Club career

Adelaide United

On 21 February 2020, Yengi made his debut for Adelaide United coming on as a substitute in the 67th minute in a 5–2 defeat to the Western Sydney Wanderers, the club he would join two years later.[4][5]

On 13 March 2021, he scored a goal and registered an assist against arch-rivals Melbourne Victory, with Yengi celebrating his goal by leaping over advertising hoardings and celebrating in front of Melbourne Victory supporters.[6][7]

Western Sydney Wanderers

On 12 November 2022, Yengi, after an assist from Milos Ninkovic, scored the only goal to beat Sydney FC and win the Sydney Derby for the Western Sydney Wanderers, from then Yengi has scored in both Sydney Derbys at Allianz Stadium obtaining and assist from Amor Layouni.

Portsmouth

On 2 July 2023, Yengi signed for EFL League One club Portsmouth for an undisclosed fee.[8] He scored the equaliser on his debut against Bristol Rovers on 5 August; the match finished 1–1.[9] Three days later, he scored a brace in a 3–1 win over Forest Green Rovers in the first round of the EFL Cup.[10]

International career

Yengi received his first call-up to the Australia men's national soccer team for the November 2023 World Cup Qualifiers against Bangladesh and Palestine[11]

Yengi made his international debut for the Socceroos against Bangladesh in Melbourne on 16 November 2023, coming on as a 72nd minute substitute for Brandon Borrello.

Personal life

Yengi's younger brother, Tete, also plays as a forward for Veikkausliiga club VPS on loan from EFL Championship club Ipswich Town.[12][13]

Career statistics

As of match played 24 October 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] League cup[lower-alpha 2] Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Adelaide United 2019–20 A-League 3000——30
2020–21 A-League 16400——164
2021–22 A-League Men 8210——92
Total 27610——286
Western Sydney Wanderers 2022–23 A-League Men 18400——184
Portsmouth 2023–24 League One 10310123[lower-alpha 3]2147
Career total 55132012326017
  1. ↑ Includes Australia Cup, FA Cup
  2. ↑ Includes EFL Cup
  3. ↑ Appearance in EFL Trophy

References

  1. ↑ Smithies, Tom (12 January 2022). "FROM AFRICA TO ADELAIDE, THE YENGI FAMILY'S STORY KEEPS GROWING". keepup.com.au. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  2. ↑ "Orangutan escapee triggers more chaos". 9 News. 11 May 2009. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  3. ↑ Larkin, Steve (16 March 2021). "Racial abuse must stop: Adelaide's Yengi". Newcastle Herald. Australian Associated Press. Retrieved 9 October 2022. Yengi, born in Adelaide to an English mother and South Sudanese father...
  4. ↑ Warren, Adrian (22 February 2020). "Verbeek hopes Adelaide can keep Halloran". The Courier. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  5. ↑ "A-League: news, Western Sydney Wanderers v Adelaide United, Mohamed Toure, score, video, highlights". Fox Sports. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  6. ↑ D'Urbano, Nick. "More pain for Melbourne Victory as Kusini Yengi sparks Adelaide United fightback". Herald Sun. News Corp. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  7. ↑ Comito, Matthew. "Mauk, Yengi star as Reds seal comeback win over Victory in tense Original Rivalry clash". A-League. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  8. ↑ "Yengi Joins Blues". www.portsmouthfc.co.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  9. ↑ "Pompey 1 Bristol Rovers 1". Portsmouth FC. 5 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  10. ↑ "Forest Green Rovers 1-3 Portsmouth". BBC. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  11. ↑ "Yengi details that Graham Arnold call and 'whirlwind' journey to Socceroos". www.socceroos.com.au. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  12. ↑ Paquette, Catherine (28 September 2021). "NEWCASTLE JETS A-LEAGUE ATTACKER BECOMES SECOND AUSSIE AT IPSWICH TOWN". FTBL. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  13. ↑ Apicella, Liam (6 April 2022). "Ipswich Town striker Tete Yengi signs on loan for Finnish club Vaasan Palloseura". Suffolk News. Retrieved 24 July 2022.


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