Montreal Impact midfielder Shamit Shome (28) gets tangled up with New York City FC midfielder Kwame Awuah during the second half of an MLS soccer match Wednesday, July 11, 2018, in New York. Hamilton's Forge FC has signed former New York City FC first-rounder Awuah to a multi-year contract. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Julie Jacobson
January 29, 2019 - 5:46 AM
Hamilton's Forge FC has signed former New York City FC first-rounder Kwame Awuah to a multi-year contract.
The 23-year-old defender from Toronto spent the last two seasons with NYCFC after being taken in the first round (16th overall) in the 2017 MLS draft. Awuah saw action in 10 games with New York City FC, starting one.
The five-foot-seven 160-pounder has ties with Forge FC coach and technical director Bobby Smyrniotis through their time together at Sigma FC.
"Kwame is an excellent addition to our team and league," Smyrniotis said in a statement. "On the field he is exactly what we want in a player — technically gifted on the ball, quick off the ball and a high level IQ for the game.
"At a young age he will bring a very good level of experience from his time with New York City FC and also our national teams. We look forward to his exciting style of play and the additional dimension it will bring to our game."
Awuah attended the University of Connecticut from 2013 to 2016, starting in all but one of his 83 appearances while collecting eight goals and 26 assists.
Awuah joins Cameroon international defender Bertrand Owundi and Canadians Kyle Bekker, Chris Nanco, Tristan Borges and Marcel Zajac on the Canadian Premier League team roster. The Hamilton side also has U-Sports prospects Jace Kotsopoulos, Aboubacar Sissoko and Mark Mandekic.
The seven-team Canadian Premier League is set to kick off its inaugural season in late April.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2019