Loza Abera Explained

Loza Abera (ሎዛ አበራ)
Fullname:Loza Abera Geinore
Birth Date:2 October 1997
Birth Place:Durame, Ethiopia
Position:Forward
Currentclub:Virginia Marauders FC women
Years1:2012–14
Clubs1:Hawassa City
Caps1:28
Goals1:44
Years2:2014–18
Clubs2:Dedebit
Caps2:86
Goals2:148
Years3:2018
Clubs3:Kungsbacka DFF
Caps3:13
Goals3:9
Years4:2018–19
Clubs4:Adama City
Caps4:9
Goals4:17
Years5:2019–2020
Caps5:14
Goals5:34
Years6:2020–2024
Clubs6:CBE F.C.
Caps6:66
Goals6:74
Years7:2024-
Clubs7:Virginia Marauders FC women
Caps7:11
Goals7:10
Nationalyears1:2011–2015
Nationalteam1:Ethiopia U20
Nationalyears2:2015–
Nationalteam2:Ethiopia
Nationalcaps2:31
Nationalgoals2:39[1]
Club-Update:30 October 2023
Nationalteam-Update:25 October 2023

Loza Abera Geinore (Amharic:ሎዛ አበራ) is an Ethiopian professional footballer who plays for USL W League club Virginia Marauders and the Ethiopia women's national team as a forward. She previously played for Nigd Bank in the Ethiopian Women's Premier League. [2] [3]

Early life

She was the third child of her family and the only female player in her neighborhood, she used to play football with mainly male composed teams both in school football matches and neighborhood football matches in her town Durame, Loza started playing football at the age of six.[4] In 2011, she participated in the All Ethiopian games representing the SNNP regional state, a tournament in which she scored seven goals and that become her initial momentum to get noticed by Ethiopian Woman National Team recruiters.

Club career

Ethiopia

Abera joined her first professional club, Hawassa City S.C. Women, in 2012. Spending two years at the club, she helped the club to two 3rd-place finishes in the league while being the team's top goal scorer for both seasons.

After an invitation from then coach Asrat Abate, Abera joined Dedebit F.C. Women (now defunct). She spent four years at Dedebit F.C., winning the League and top goal scorer honors in all four years. She finished the 2015–16 EWPL season with 47 goals during season and 10 goals in the playoff competition.[5]

Despite lucrative offers from various teams, she made a promise to herself to finish high school. She did, and went on to Addis-Abeba University school of commerce while signing contracts from the area.[6]

Abera signed with Adama City Women midway through the 2018–19 EWPL season after her brief stint in Sweden with Kungsbaka DFF. Continuing her success in her home country, she helped Adama City win its first ever EWPL title.[7]

After six seasons playing in the EWPL, Abera has scored over 200 goals and holds the record for most goals in the league's history. In November 2020, she signed for Nigd Bank of the Ethiopian Women's Premier League.[8]

Abroad

Abera has had trials with Antalyaspor (Turkey) and Kungsbaka DFF (Sweden). During her stay in Kungsbaka, she helped the team win a regional title and gain promotion to the top tier.[9] However, her stay with the club ended after the season due to financial reasons.

In September 2019, she signed for Birkirkara F.C. (women) Women of the Malta Women's Premier League. She finished her first season as the Maltese league's top goal scorer with 30 goals in 12 appearances.[10]

Awards

Abera was included on the list of the BBC's list of 100 Women announced on 23 November 2020.[11]

References

ሎዛ አበራ

Notes and References

  1. https://lozabera.com/profile/
  2. Web site: Ethiopia's National Women's Team Win Over Burkina Faso. geeskaafrika.com.
  3. Web site: ሎዛ አበራ. soccerethiopia.net.
  4. News: Loza Abera, the promising goal prodigy. Samuel. Rahel. October 31, 2019. Ethiosports.
  5. News: Dedebit Crowned Champions of the Ethiopian Women's Premier League. Taddele. Omna. July 2, 2016. Soccer Ethiopia.
  6. Web site: Medina. Kai. December 2020. Inspiring Women. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201213151649/https://kaimedinae.wixsite.com/notkia/influentialwomen. 2020-12-13. 2020-12-31. Kai Medina. en.
  7. News: Birkirkara women sign Ethiopia forward Loza Abera. Lia. Gianluca. September 25, 2019. Times of Malta.
  8. News: Legesse. Mikael. November 5, 2020. ሎዛ አበራ ንግድ ባንክን በይፋ ተቀላቀለች. Soccer Ethiopia.
  9. News: Loza Abera: The Ethiopian Goal Machine Turning Heads in Malta. Nnadiegbulam. Chibuogwu. December 11, 2019. Liyusport.
  10. News: Ahmadu. Samuel. May 26, 2020. Anu's Birkirkara retain BOV Women's League title as Abera emerges top scorer in Malta. Goal.
  11. News: 2020-11-23. BBC 100 Women 2020: Who is on the list this year?. en-GB. BBC News. 2020-11-23.