21 year old Farouk Miya is Uganda’s boy wonder. The super striker yesterday scored Uganda’s first Afcon goal in 39 years as Uganda held Mali to a one-all draw with the two teams eliminated out of the tournament. Tony Mawejje could have earned that accomplishment but was denied by a flick on Ochaya who was trapped in offside position.
Who is Farouk Miya?
Farouk Miya plays as an offensive midfielder for Belgian club Standard Liège ona three-year deal and the Uganda national football team. Standard Liège has already confirmed that they have used the buy option to make the deal permanent as of the 2016-17 season. Miya is described as “Muyizi Tasubwa”, a Luganda saying meaning “a hunter who cannot miss”
Miya started playing for Vipers S.C. midway through the 2013-14 season. In 49 league appearances, he netted 20 goals, leading his team to the top of the table in the 2014-15 season.
In January 2016, it was announced that Miya would be joining Belgian top flight club, Standard Liège in what is reported to be an initial loan deal taking him from Ugandan club Vipers S.C. Standard Liège acquired his services for a fee of $400,000.
Miya was called up to the Uganda U23 team for the 2015 African Games. In the first round against Mozambique U23, he missed several scoring opportunities and both legs ended 0–0.
Milutin Sredojević, the manager of the Uganda national football team, then named Miya to the Cranes squad for Uganda’s African Nations Championship qualifying games. Miya scored in the qualifiers, securing his spot on the team.
He scored three goals in two games against Togo in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification. In the 2015 CECAFA Cup, he scored twice in the second leg against Zanzibar and once against Malawi to carry Uganda into the semi-finals. Against Ethiopia, his spot kick after extra time carried Uganda into the final against Rwanda.
On 4 September 2016, Miya scored in the 37th minute against Comoros as Uganda qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time since 1978. Uganda finished second behind Burkina Faso in group D, both with 13 points and 4 goal difference but the latter were better on the head-to-head record.
Last night, he scored Cranes first Afcon goal in 39 years and was awarded Man of the match.
A star is here!