Dominic Oduro

Citizenship:    Ghana (U.S. Green Card Holder)
Last Club:    Houston Dynamo
How Acquired:    Traded from Houston in exchange for Calen Carr on March 23, 2011

After joining the Fire in 2011 via trade from the Houston Dynamo, Dominic Oduro had a career season in Chicago, becoming the first Fire player since Damani Ralph in 2004 to tally double-digit regular season goals. For his efforts, Oduro was named the club’s 2011 Most Valuable Player and Section 8 Chicago’s 2011 Supporter’s Player of the Year. In 2012, Oduro once again posted impressive numbers, making 33 appearances for the Men in Red, and was second on the team with six goals. The fleet-footed Ghanaian will be called on to provide an offensive spark for the Fire in the 2013 season.

2012: Appeared in 33 games with 21 starts, scoring six goals and tallying three assists… Scored the Fire’s only goal in a 1-2 loss 10/3 to the Union when he put Chicago on the board in the 69th minute… Tallied an assist on Alex’s stoppage time goal in the Fires’ 3-1 win 9/2 over the Houston Dynamo… Scored the second goal in a 2-1 win 6/26 over the Columbus Crew when he finished off a through ball from Sebastian Grazzini… Picked up an assist on Gonzalo Segares’ game winner in the Fire’s 3-1 victory 6/17 over the Red Bulls… Scored an 81st minute game-winner from six yards out from a Patrick Nyarko through ball in the Fire’s 2-1 win 5/12 over Sporting KC… In a 3-2 win 4/12 over Toronto FC he scored a goal 35 seconds in to the mach and also picked up an assist on Patrick Nyarko’s 58th minute goal… Scored the game-winner in a 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Union putting away a header in the 28th minute of the team’s home-opener… Scored a 71st minute equalizer 3/17 in a 1-1 against the Montreal impact in the Fire’s season-opener… MLS CUP PLAYOFFS: Came on for Pavel Pardo in the 60th minute of the Fire’s 1-2 knockout round loss 10/31to the Houston Dynamo… INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS: Came in as a 61st minute sub for Orr Barouch in a 0-1 loss 7/21 to Aston Villa… Played the full 90 and picked up an assist in the Fire’s 2-2 draw 9/9 against Santos Laguna… LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP: Came on as an 84th minute sub for Orr Barouch in the Fire’s 2-3 loss 5/29 to the Michigan Bucks… RESERVES LEAGUE: Made three starts, scoring three times and picking up an assist…    

2011: Led the team in goals with 12, tallying two assists and tying fellow Virginia Commonwealth alum Gonzalo Segares for the team lead in games played with 33 over 2604 minutes after joining the team via trade from Houston following the first week of the season… Assisted on Marco Pappa’s 81st minute strike in a 4-2 loss 4/14 at POR…Tallied his first goal for the Fire in the 89th minute of a 2-1 loss 4/17 vs. LA…Assisted on Marco Pappa’s 43rd minute strike in a 1-1draw 4/30 at COL…Scored a 67th minute equalizer in a 2-1 loss 5/21 at PHI…Scored a 56th minute equalizer in a 2-2 draw 5/28 vs. SJ…Tallied in the 32nd minute of a 1-1 draw 6/18 vs. NE…Scored in the 26th minute of a 1-1 draw 7/2 at CHV…Bagged a 23rd minute equalizer in a 4-2 loss 8/7 at VAN…Tallied a 16th minute equalizer in a 2-2 draw 8/13 at NY…Scored a 16th minute game winner in a 2-0 victory 8/21 vs. TOR…Bagged a game winner for the second straight match, tallying in the 17th minute of a 2-0 victory 8/27 vs. COL…Scored a dramatic 85th minute game winner in a 3-2 victory 9/17 vs. CHV…Tallied a ninth minute goal in a 3-2 victory 9/25 vs. NE…Bagged a 43rd minute equalizer in his first game since returning to Houston following early season trade in a 1-1 draw vs. the Dynamo…LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP: Appeared in five matches, starting three over 357 minutes…Scored a seventh minute game winner in a 4-0 quarterfinal victory 7/12 vs. NY…Scored the 61st minute game winner in a 2-1 win 8/30 vs. Richmond to send the Fire to its MLS-record sixth Open Cup championship match… INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLIES: Started and played 72 minutes in a 3-1 loss to Manchester United 7/23 at Soldier Field…

2010: Tied for the team scoring lead with seven goals in all competitions ... Appeared in 27 of 30 MLS games, making 19 starts, and notched five league goals, tying a career high, and four assists ... Started first 11 and final four games of the season ... Notched an assist on Mike Chabala's goal on Opening Day in 1-1 tie at FCD on 3/27 ... Scored first goal of season in 3-0 win vs. CHV on 4/17, tapping in a Brad Davis pass from close range, and celebrated by juggling his boot in the air like a hot potato ... Set up two goals in 3-0 win vs. KC on 5/1, laying the ball of for Luis Landin to score the opener and finding countryman Sammy Appiah on the counter-attack for the third goal ... Netted second goal of season in 2-0 win vs. DC on 5/22, one-timing a cross into the top left corner ... Returned to starting lineup in 4-3 win vs. CHI on 8/21, his first start since 5/29, and played 61 minutes in helping Dynamo to 3-1 lead ... Scored second goal in 4-3 loss at KC on 9/22, finishing breakaway from top of penalty area ... Scored again on a breakaway in 10th minute of stoppage time to seal 3-1 win at DC on 9/25 ... Struck for tying goal with well-taken volley in 2-1 loss vs. NE on 10/10 to tie his career high with five MLS goals ... Fed pass to surging Geoff Cameron for game-tying goal in 2-1 win vs. SEA on 10/23 to close season ... Open Cup: Played all 90 minutes in both games as Dynamo reached quarterfinals ... Assisted on game-winning goal in 1-0 win vs. Miami FC on 6/29, slipping a pass through for Lovel Palmer's game-winner ... Scored Houston's only goal in 3-1 quarterfinal loss vs. CHV on 7/6 when Joseph Ngwenya ricocheted off his chest and into the net ... SuperLiga: Appeared in three of four matches, making two starts ... Scored game-winning goal after Cam Weaver headed down a free kick in 1-0 win vs. Puebla on 7/21 ... Was ejected later in match when referee believed he had earned two yellow cards; red card was later rescinded, and Oduro played all 90 minutes in 1-0 semifinal loss vs. Morelia on 8/5 ... Other: Came off the bench at halftime and delivered game-winning goal with accurate shot to top corner in 2-1 friendly win vs. Laredo Heat on 6/10 in inaugural Ryan-Sanders Shootout in Corpus Christi ... Played second half and scored third goal in 4-0 Dynamo Charities Cup win vs. Aguila on 6/19.

2009: Acquired from NY in trade on 5/27 and appeared in 16 games, with seven starts, for Houston … Made Dynamo debut as substitute on 5/30 vs. TFC … Recorded first assist with Dynamo on 6/13 at FCD … Assisted on Brad Davis goal in 2-1 loss at SEA on 7/11 … Assisted on Brian Ching's first goal in 4-3 win vs. DC on 8/1 … Scored only MLS goal of the season as part of his best game of the year in 3-2 win at CHV on 10/25 … Also helped set up Abe Thompson's game-winning goal … Playoffs: Started all three playoff games and rocketed shot off the post in second leg vs. SEA on 11/8 … Open Cup: Started, played 90 minutes, and scored first Dynamo goal when he tapped in the clinching tally in 2-0 win at Austin on 7/1 … Played 62 minutes and scored first Dynamo goal with a right-footed shot from the top of the penalty area in 4-0 quarterfinal win at Charleston on 7/7 … Started and played 65 minutes in 2-1 overtime semifinal loss at SEA on 7/21 … 09-10 Champions League: Started five of six games … Was ejected for receiving two yellow cards in 2-0 loss at Pachuca on 9/16, including caution for shirt removal while play was stopped for an injury.

2008: Scored a career-high five goals in 25 games, including only nine starts, in his third season with FC Dallas … Also notched two assists … Scored twice in nine minutes in a 2-1 win vs. RSL on 5/24 … Open Cup: Assisted on Abe Thompson's game-tying goal in 2-1 win vs. Miami on 7/1.

2007: Scored three goals and two assists in a team-high 29 appearances, including 10 starts, for FC Dallas … Played a career-high 1,163 minutes … Notched first career assist on 9/15 at NE … Playoffs: Appeared in both games of playoff series vs. HOU … SuperLiga: Notched one assist in three appearances as Dallas was eliminated in the group stage … Open Cup: Appeared in three of four games as Dallas reached the Open Cup final but did not score.

2006: Second-round draft pick who scored once in 16 appearances, including three starts, for FC Dallas … Made professional debut on 6/28 at NE … Made first career start and scored first career goal on 7/8 vs. NY … Playoffs: Did not appear in Western Conference semifinal series loss against Colorado.
 
COLLEGE: Played at Virginia Commonwealth from 2004-05 … Scored 18 goals and totaled five assists in two seasons for the Rams … Named 2004 Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year and a third-team all-American selection while leading VCU to its first ever NCAA quarterfinal appearance … Spent 2002-03 at the University of Ghana.

AMATEUR: Played for the Richmond Kickers Future PDL team in 2005, leading the team in goals and finishing second in assists … Attended Prempeh College (the Asante Royal Boarding School for Boys) in Ghana.
 
PERSONAL: Parents are Anthony and Elizabeth Oduro … Graduated from VCU with a B.S. in sociology, which he considers his greatest accomplishment outside of soccer … Lists T.I. and Lil' Wayne among favorite musicians … Enjoys the author John Grisham … Favorite movie is "The Bourne Ultimatum" … Enjoys playing ping-pong … Admires Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o … Besides English, speaks Ghanaian dialects of Twi, Ga, Nzema, and Fante…Dominic's nickname, "The Birdman," was inspired partly by the rapper, Birdman, and partly because teammates say Oduro can 'fly' on the field… Enjoys watching movies and reading books… Most influenced by his family… Given the nickname Zeus…