The Halifax Wanderers Football Club has signed Canadian striker Ludwig Kodjo Amla to a contract through the 2023 season with a club option in 2024. Amla, 21, was born in Denmark but spent most of his development years in Quebec before playing professionally for FK Makedonija Gorče Petrov in the Macedonian top flight in 2021. After returning from Europe, Amla was a member of CS St-Hubert in the Première ligue de soccer du Québec, leading the team in scoring in 2022.
“Ludwig is another young Canadian talent we have monitored for a couple of years,” sporting director Matt Fegan said. “He combines pace, height and finishing, qualities we have wanted to add to our squad this summer. At just 21, he has already challenged himself overseas in a tough league which is always a good test of character. He arrives as a young striker, hungry to show he has what it takes to succeed in the CPL, and that desire is exactly what we need in our playoff hunt.”
After trialling with the Wanderers for the past couple of weeks, KodjoAmla rejoined St-Hubert for their recent match in Halifax against Wanderers U23. He scored twice in a 3-2 victory for his former club.
“He’s a striker that gives us something completely different; he’s excellent in the air, has a lot of pace, and adds another dimension to our attack,” Wanderers head coach Stephen Hart said. “We’ve had him here for several training sessions to get an idea of his mentality, what he’s like in the room, and he’s been great.”
The Halifax Wanderers enter August with a run of six matches in just 28 days, including three matches at the Wanderers Grounds.
Halifax’s pro soccer team hosts York United on Aug. 1, Valour FC (Winnipeg) on Aug. 13 and Pacific FC (Langford, BC) on Aug. 20. The Wanderers closed out July with a 1-1 draw against FC Edmonton on July 23.
As part of a late season push towards a playoff spot, the Wanderers signed Welsh Premier League star Fumpa Mwandwe. Mwandwe scored and converted the winning penalty kick in his final match for his old team and nearly scored in his Wanderers debut on July 23.
Another new addition to the squad is 21 year old Ludwin Kodjo Amla. He has been training with the Wanderers for a week and played in the Under 23 match as a part of the St. Hubert team. A tall and talented Canadian striker who has European experience, he will add a new dynamism to the attack.
The Wanderers also closed out July with the exciting debut of a new team, Wanderers U23. The squad is made up of players from Atlantic Canada and played their first ever match on July 27 against CS St. Hubert. The game was thrilling with lots of chances and eventually the team from Quebec eased out a 3-2 win. Wanderers U23 is part of the club’s long term goal of providing more development opportunities for local soccer talent.
Celebrating Grassroots Soccer and Ocean Industries
On August 13, the Wanderers are partnering with Tim Hortons to celebrate grassroots soccer in Nova Scotia. Several hundred youth players will be at the match. On August 20, the club is recognizing local and international organizations that work in the Ocean’s industry. Companies involved include The PIER Halifax, Eimskip, Graphite Innovation Technologies, COVE and more. Watch the Wanderers socials to check out some awesome contests.
Photo credits to:
https://hfxwanderersfc.canpl.ca
https://www.facebook.com/HfxWanderersFC/
