Introduction
Abdulla Obaid Koni (Arabic: عبد الله كوني, born on July 19, 1979 in Senegal) is a retired Qatari footballer of Senegalese descent who was a defender for Al Sadd. He was also a member of the Qatar national football team. He also played for their national youth team.
Career
Koni captained Al Sadd to victory in the AFC Champions League in 2011. In the round of 16 of the tournament, he scored a decisive header against Al Shabab which turned out to be the winner. His team went on to win the tournament, defeating Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the final in South Korea. As a result of the AFC Champions League triumph, he led his team into the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup. In the quarter-finals, he scored the winning goal against Espérance de Tunis slotting in a cross from teammate Lee Jung-Soo, earning his team a 2–1 victory. This set up a semi-final confrontation against Barcelona on 15 December 2011.
With Barcelona leading 1–0 in the 36th minute, Barcelona forward David Villa timed a run well and allowed for a ball to be played over the top into the path of his run. Villa and Koni raced toward the Al Sadd net. As the ball hit the ground, Villa failed to corral the ball, allowing the Koni the time to catch up and challenge for the ball on its next bounce. He made a shoulder challenge on Villa as he attempted to strike the ball, causing Villa to fall awkwardly on his left leg and break it. Because of this, Koni was dubbed as "maybe the most influential player of the Euro 2012".
Career statistics
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 29 November 2003 | Singapore |  Singapore |
0–2 | Won | 2004 Asian Cup qual. | |||||
| 2. | 8 January 2004 | Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City, Kuwait |  Kuwait |
1–2 | Won | 2003 Gulf Cup of Nations | |||||
| 3. | 16 November 2007 | Thani bin Jassim Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar |  Georgia |
1–2 | Lost | Friendly match | |||||
| Correct as of 14 November 2015 | |||||||||||
Honours
Club
Al Sadd:
- FIFA Club World Cup:
- AFC Champions League: 1
- Arab Champions League: 1
- Qatari League: 5
- Emir of Qatar Cup: 5
- Qatar Crown Prince Cup: 5
- Sheikh Jassem Cup: 4
- Qatari Stars Cup: 1