Sam Junqua Explained

Sam Junqua
Fullname:Samuel Junqua
Birth Date:9 November 1996
Birth Place:Saratoga, California, United States
Height:6ft 0in[1]
Currentclub:FC Dallas
Clubnumber:29
Position:Defender
Youthclubs1:De Anza Force
Collegeyears1:2015–2018
College1:California Golden Bears
Collegecaps1:68
Collegegoals1:0
Years1:2017
Clubs1:FC Golden State Force
Caps1:7
Goals1:0
Years2:2018
Clubs2:San Francisco Glens
Caps2:6
Goals2:1
Years3:2019–2022
Clubs3:Houston Dynamo
Caps3:46
Goals3:1
Years4:2019
Clubs4:Rio Grande Valley FC (loan)
Caps4:17
Goals4:0
Years5:2023–
Clubs5:FC Dallas
Caps5:26
Goals5:2
Club-Update:March 25, 2024

Samuel Junqua (born November 9, 1996) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Major League Soccer club FC Dallas.

Career

Youth & College

Junqua attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he played college soccer for four years between 2015 and 2018, making 68 appearances and tallying 3 assists.[2] He was named to the 2018 All-Pac-12 third team.[3]

While in college, Junqua played in the PDL with FC Golden State Force[4] and San Francisco Glens.[5]

Professional career

Houston Dynamo

On January 11, 2019, Junqua was drafted 8th overall in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft by the Houston Dynamo and was signed by the club on January 22, 2019.[6] Junqua made his Dynamo debut on June 18, getting the start in a 3–2 loss to Minnesota United in a U.S. Open Cup match. He made his first appearance in a continental competition and his second overall appearance with the Dynamo on July 24, coming on as a sub in a Leagues Cup match with Club America.[7]

Junqua spent most of the 2019 season on loan with the Dynamo's USL Championship affiliate Rio Grande Valley FC. He made his first appearance for the Toros on March 16, playing the full 90 in a 2–0 loss to Fresno FC.[8] He would go on to make 17 appearances with RGVFC in his first pro season.

On July 13, 2020, Junqua made his first appearance of the season and first MLS appearance of his career, coming on as a substitute in a 3–3 draw with LAFC. He scored his first goal for the Dynamo on October 3 in a 2–1 loss to Sporting Kansas City. He made his first career MLS start on October 7 in a 2–0 win over Texas Derby rivals FC Dallas. Junqua finished the year with 9 appearances and 1 goal in a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] It was a poor season for Houston as a team, finishing last in the Western Conference and missing out on the playoffs again.[10]

Junqua missed the first 8 games of the 2021 season after suffering a concussion in the final preseason match.[11] He made his first appearance of the season on June 19, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–1 draw against LAFC.[12] On July 3, Junqua picked up his first career MLS assist in a 1–1 draw with FC Cincinnati. He ended the season with 22 appearances, 18 of them starts, and 1 assist, splitting time playing as both a left-back and as a center-back. The season was another disappointing one for Houston, with the Dynamo finishing last in the West for the 2nd straight season and failing to qualify for the playoffs once again.[13]

Junqua made 15 MLS appearances, 4 of them starts, and had an assist during the 2022 season as the Dynamo finished 13th in the conference, missing out on the playoffs.[14] In the Open Cup, Junqua started all 3 games for Houston. On April 19, in their first cup game of the season, Junqua scored 3 minutes into stoppage time to give the Dynamo a 2–1 win over RGVFC. In the next round, he set up Sebastián Ferreira in the 82nd minute for a 1–0 win over San Antonio FC. Junqua's contract expired following the 2022 season.[15]

FC Dallas

On February 23, 2023, Junqua signed with FC Dallas after the club acquired his rights from Houston in exchange for $75,000 of GAM.[16]

Career statistics

ClubSeasonLeaguePlayoffsNational cupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
FC Golden State Force2017PDL70001080
San Francisco Glens2018PDL6161
Houston Dynamo2019MLS00101020
20209191
2021220220
202215031181
Total461004110512
Rio Grande Valley FC (loan)2019USLC170170
Career total762005110823

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sam Junqua . FC Dallas . June 3, 2023.
  2. Web site: Sam Junqua - Men's Soccer -2015 M Soccer Roster. calbears.com. 2019-03-17.
  3. Web site: Pac-12 announces Men's Soccer All-Conference honors. https://web.archive.org/web/20181123022747/https://pac-12.com/article/2018/11/07/pac-12-announces-mens-soccer-all-conference-honors. dead. November 23, 2018. 2021-01-26. pac-12.com. en.
  4. Web site: FC Golden State Force 2017 Roster - Samuel Junqua. uslleaguetwo.com. 2019-03-17.
  5. Web site: San Francisco Glens 2018 Roster - Samuel Junqua. uslleaguetwo.com. 2019-03-17.
  6. Web site: Houston Dynamo sign top SuperDraft selection Sam Junqua. mlssoccer.com. 2019-03-17.
  7. Web site: USA - S. Junqua - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway. us.soccerway.com. 2019-11-28.
  8. Web site: Sam Junqua 2019 Match Logs . 2023-02-19 . FBref.com . en.
  9. Web site: Sam Junqua 2020 Match Logs. 2020-11-11. FBref.com. en.
  10. Web site: Major League Soccer Stats. 2020-11-11. FBref.com. en.
  11. Web site: Roepkin. Corey. July 2, 2021. Sam Junqua's return from injury gives Dynamo more options at centerback. November 10, 2021. Houston Chronicle.
  12. Web site: Sam Junqua 2021 Match Logs. 2021-11-10. FBref.com. en.
  13. Web site: Major League Soccer Stats. 2021-11-10. FBref.com. en.
  14. Web site: Sam Junqua-Match Log . February 19, 2023 . Major League Soccer.
  15. Web site: November 16, 2022 . Dynamo decline contract options on three players and expand open roster spots to 11 . February 19, 2023 . Houston Dynamo FC.
  16. Web site: February 23, 2023 . FC Dallas Signs Defender Sam Junqua . February 24, 2023 . FC Dallas.