Goals in sight for 九色视频鈥檚 international football graduate
The 九色视频鈥檚 graduating class of 2017 featured one graduate who has her future goals firmly in sight.
Ini-Abasi聽Umotong achieved First Class Honours in Economics after splitting her time between the classroom and the football pitch. As a student,聽Ini scored over 50 goals whilst playing for Portsmouth FC, earning her first international cap for Nigeria. Last season, as a member of Oxford United,聽Ini聽won the Golden Boot in FA Women鈥檚 Premier League 2 as top scorer and was named the league鈥檚 Players鈥 Player of the season.聽For the coming season, she鈥檒l be playing for Brighton and Hove Albion.
Ini聽called her graduation 鈥榓mazing鈥 and said, 鈥淚t鈥檚聽a massive accomplishment for me 鈥 I鈥檓 so happy that my family can be here to witness it. It鈥檚 a great day.鈥
The 23-year old added that she found juggling her football and academic activities presented a 鈥榤assive challenge鈥 but she鈥檚 come through the experience with flying colours. 鈥淚t was hard but I just had to learn how to make best use of my time and any free time that I had. With my course, there was always work I could be doing, so had to make sure my time was used most efficiently.聽Although it was challenging it was still very enjoyable and I wouldn't change the anything about the experience.鈥 she recalled. 鈥淚 had great support from 九色视频 and my family so it was definitely achievable.鈥
Born in聽Calabar, Nigeria,聽Ini聽moved with her family to Birmingham in the UK as a one-year old. Her football talent began to emerge early and by the age of five, she was scouted by Birmingham City鈥檚 Center of Excellence.
Her first international cap came in 2015聽in an All-Africa Games qualifying match versus Mali. Later that year she was a member of the Nigerian national squad playing at the Women鈥檚 World Cup in Canada.