PROFILE
A talented goalscorer with Ghana U-20 and U-23 national team experience, Fatawu Safiu joined Whitecaps FC 2 in February 2016 after spending the previous season with rival Timbers 2.
UNITED SOCCER LEAGUE
2016: Safiu started 13 of his 24 regular season appearances, tallying four goals and three assists. He earned a USL Team of the Week selection for his goal off a curling free kick in the Week 9 win over his former side Timbers 2. He would get a bench selection to the weekly league honour five weeks later after scoring the 'Caps lone goal in the 1-1 draw versus Oklahoma City Energu FC. Safiu also made one substitute appearance in the playoffs, versus Swope Park Rangers in the Western Conference Final. 2015: Safiu started 18 of his 23 USL appearances for Timbers 2 in 2015, finishing second on the team with seven goals, while adding one assist. Two of his goals were scored against Whitecaps FC 2 on back-to-back weeks in July.
LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP
2015: Safiu scored a second-half goal in the 2-0 win over PDL side Michigan Bucks in the second round of the U.S. Open Cup on May 19.
GHANA
2014: Prior to moving to Portland, Safiu led Ghana Premier League side Inter Allies FC with seven goals across all competitions for the second half of the 2014 season, in addition to four assists. He appeared in 14 matches for the club, scoring a goal in the semifinal of the Ghanaian FA Cup to help his side to their first Cup final appearance.
SWEDEN
2013: Safiu spent the first six months of the 2013-14 season on loan at Vimmerby IF of Sweden’s Division 2 Södra Svealand, where he scored seven goals in 20 league appearances.
INTERNATIONAL
U-23: Safiu was named to the Ghana U-23 national team roster ahead of a two-leg, second-round series against Congo in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) U-23 Championship qualifiers. He was also named to the provisional 28-man squad for the 2015 All Africa Games tournament for his country’s U-23 national team. U-20: Safiu was one of 30 players called up to the Ghana U-20 training camp in January 2013 in preparation for the 2013 African U-20 Championship in Algeria.
PERSONAL
Safiu and fellow Ghanaian and former Whitecaps FC midfielder Gershon Koffie played for the same Ghana Premier League side Inter Allies FC. Koffie was on the team from 2006 to 2009, while Safiu joined the club in 2013.