Andrew_Sawaya
Andrew Sawaya
Lebanese footballer (born 2000)
Andrew Kameel Sawaya (Arabic: أندرو كميل صوايا; born 30 April 2000) is a Lebanese footballer who plays as a right-back for Lebanese Premier League club Safa.
|
Sawaya with Nejmeh in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Andrew Kameel Sawaya[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (2000-04-30) 30 April 2000 (age 24) | ||
| Place of birth | Dhour El Choueir, Lebanon[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Right-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Safa | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2005–2012 | Al Ain | ||
| 2012–2017 | Athletico | ||
| 2017–2018 | Nejmeh | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2022 | Nejmeh | 36 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | Ahed | 11 | (0) |
| 2023– | Safa | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2017 | Lebanon U19 | 2 | (0) |
| 2019–2021 | Lebanon U23 | 4 | (0) |
| 2022 | Lebanon | 1 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 May 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 December 2022 | |||
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Born in Dhour El Choueir, Lebanon,[1] Sawaya moved to the United Arab Emirates aged five, where he lived for seven years.[2] During this time, he played for the academy of Al Ain.[2] In 2012, he moved back to Lebanon, playing for the Athletico football academy for five years.[2]
In July 2017, Sawaya joined Nejmeh, initially playing for both the youth and senior teams.[3] He made one appearance in the 2017–18 Lebanese Premier League, on 15 April 2018, as a starter in a 3–1 defeat to Ahed.[4] Sawaya scored against cross-city rivals Ansar in the 2021–22 league season, to help Nejmeh win 1–0.[5]
On 13 June 2022, Sawaya moved to Ahed on a free contract.[6] After one season, Sawaya moved to Safa on 13 May 2023, also based in Beirut.[7]
Sawaya represented Lebanon internationally at youth level, and was called up to the senior team's training camp ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[6] He made his senior debut on 30 December 2022, in a 1–0 friendly defeat to the United Arab Emirates.[8]
Sawaya initially started out as a forward and winger during his youth career; he later developed into a right-back.[2] He has been likened to former Lebanese international Ali Hamam.[2] Sawaya stated that he drew inspiration from former German international Philipp Lahm.[2]
International
- As of match played 30 December 2022[9]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lebanon | 2022 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 0 | |
Nejmeh
- Lebanese FA Cup: 2021–22; runner-up: 2017–18, 2020–21
- Lebanese Elite Cup: 2018, 2021
- Lebanese Super Cup runner-up: 2018, 2021
Ahed
- "Andrew Sawaya". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
- تحدث لاعب النجمة اندرو صوايا اثناء حلوله ضيفاً على محمود ترحيني في برنامج ريبلاي عن قدرة فريقه على مقارعة الانصار والعهد على لقب الدوري اللبناني فماذا قال؟ (Television production) (in Arabic). Aljadeed Sport. 5 November 2020.
- "الشاب آندرو صوايا لصفوف النجمة". Elsport News (in Arabic). Retrieved 13 June 2022.
- "Al Nejmeh vs. Al Ahed – 15 April 2018 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
- "«الدربي» يقحم النجمة بالمنافسة ويبعد الأنصار عنها". الأخبار (in Arabic). Retrieved 14 June 2022.
- Al Ahed FC [@alahedfc] (13 June 2022). "وقع على كشوفات نادي العهد الرياضي اللاعب أندرو صوايا (مدافع-ظهير) مواليد سنة ٢٠٠٠" – via Instagram.
- "الصفاء يبرم ثامن صفقاته". كووورة. 13 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- "UAE 1–0 Lebanon". FA Lebanon. 30 December 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- "Andrew Sawaya". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- Andrew Sawaya at National-Football-Teams.com
- Andrew Sawaya at Soccerway
- Andrew Sawaya at Goalzz.com (also in Arabic at Kooora.com)