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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kenjok Athiu | ||
| Date of birth | 5 August 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | Juba, Sudan (now South Sudan) | ||
| Height | 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Dandenong City | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2006–2010 | South Springvale | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2011 | South Springvale | 36 | (17) |
| 2012 | Springvale White Eagles | 9 | (2) |
| 2012–2014 | Box Hill United | 40 | (30) |
| 2014-2017 | Heidelberg United | 74 | (43) |
| 2017–2018 | → Melbourne Victory (loan) | 4 | (1) |
| 2018–2020 | Melbourne Victory | 32 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | Sri Pahang | 11 | (4) |
| 2022 | Visakha | 3 | (0) |
| 2022 | Essendon Royals | 1 | (0) |
| 2023 | Heidelberg United | 16 | (1) |
| 2024– | Dandenong City | 2 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019– | South Sudan | 7 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 February 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 November 2019 | |||
Kenjok Athiu (born 5 August 1992) is a South Sudanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for National Premier Leagues Victoria club Dandenong City and the South Sudan national football team.[2]
Athiu joined South Springvale SC in 2006 at 14 years of age, and became a member of the first team three years later.[3] In 2012, Athiu signed a short term deal with rivals Springvale White Eagles, with the success from the Springvale based clubs later earning him a deal with the more prominent Victorian State League side Box Hill United in the same year. Following more success, in 2014 Athiu signed for Heidelberg United in the NPL Victoria.
After initially being linked with a move to Perth Glory,[4] Athiu signed his first professional contract with Melbourne Victory in October 2017 on a season-long loan from Heidelberg United.[5] Victory coach Kevin Muscat initially stated that it would be some time before Athiu would make the first team due to injury and fitness concerns.[6] Nevertheless, Athiu made his debut for the club as a substitute in a draw with Western Sydney Wanderers on 6 November after a number of Melbourne's attacking players were unavailable for the game.[7] On 18 June 2018, Athiu signed a new two-year contract with Melbourne Victory.[8] On 28 August 2020, Melbourne Victory announced that Athiu would not be receiving a new contract.[9]
Athiu was eligible to represent his nation of birth of South Sudan or his country of residence in Australia prior to making his competitive debut for South Sudan against Equatorial Guinea on 4 September 2019 in the first leg of the first round for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Athiu was substituted on David Majak Chan at the 54th minute and assisted in the equalizing goal of the eventual 1–1 draw.[10][11][12][13]
Athiu was born in Sudan but left with his family as a refugee in the Second Sudanese Civil War, first to Kenya (aged four) and then to Australia (aged eleven).[14] He initially settled in Keysborough, before moving to Noble Park and then Narre Warren.[15]
Athiu has seven siblings, and is good friends with former teammate Thomas Deng, with both their families having known each other since they were children.[16]
| Club | Season | League | Cup[A] | Continental[B] | Other[C] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Melbourne Victory | 2017–18 | Y-League | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 |
| 2017–18 | A-League | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 4 | |
| 2018–19 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 31 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 51 | 4 | ||