Ahinga Selemani Lands In Malta

Former Cavalry FC forward Ahinga Selemani has signed a short-term contract with Gudja United in the Maltese Premier League.

The 25-year-old has already begun training with the Maltese side, who saw their return from the holiday break delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the next league match for Gudja United currently set for January 19, the forward now has extra time to adjust to his new surroundings in Malta.

Selemani had joined Cavalry FC in December 2020 following a short stint in Gibraltar, with the centre-forward making 17 league appearances in the 2021 CPL season. He contributed three goals and two assists while being largely utilized as an impact sub under Tommy Wheeldon Jr:

The Moncton-born forward is one of seven players now confirmed to have left the Alberta-based side following a 2021 campaign that saw them reach the league’s semi-final stage. His final appearance in red came in the club’s regular season closing win over rival side Forge FC.

Selemani isn’t the only Canadian present at Gudja United, with former CF Montreal and Halifax Wanderers midfielder Louis Beland-Goyette also landing there following 2020’s Island Games tournament.

While thirteen of his eighteen appearances across all competitions saw him come off the bench, all of his goal and assist contributions came from four of his five starts. The interesting statistic suggests that Selemani might be a better fit for a side in which he can establish himself as a starter.

It’s also worth noting that Ahinga’s metrics saw him convert double his expected goals (1.52) and expected assists (.63), too.

For now, Malta becomes the seventh country stop in a playing career that has seen the forward play in the United States, Greece, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Gibraltar, and Canada thus far.

With the Maltese Premier League season set to end up in late April, it’s possible that Selemani could return in time to feature in the 2022 Canadian Premier League season, though what may happen after his Maltese Premier League campaign wraps remains to be seen.