Emma Mukandi

Emma Mukandi
Emma Mukandi in 2014
Personal information
Birth name Emma Mitchell
Date of birth (1992-09-19) 19 September 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Kirkcaldy, Scotland
Height 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)[1]
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 London City Lionesses
Number 3
Youth career
St. Johnstone Girls
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2012 Glasgow City 35 (38)
2013 SGS Essen 11 (1)
2013–2020 Arsenal 74 (3)
2020 → Tottenham Hotspur (loan) 4 (2)
2020–2023 Reading 35 (0)
2023– London City Lionesses 28 (2)
International career‡
2007–2008 Scotland U17 9 (2)
2009–2011 Scotland U19 22 (3)
2011– Scotland[2] 72 (7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 September 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15:54, 16 April 2023 (UTC)

Emma Mukandi (née Mitchell; born 19 September 1992) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for FA WC club London City Lionesses. She began her senior career with Glasgow City then joined Frauen-Bundesliga club SGS Essen. Primarily a defender, Mukandi has also played as a forward.[3] Mukandi also plays for the Scotland national team.

Club career

Born in Kirkcaldy, she grew up in the town of Buckhaven, Fife. Mukandi went on to become the only girl to play for her local high school team at the age of twelve.[4] She started her career with St Johnstone Girls, alongside fellow future Frauen-Bundesliga player Lisa Evans, before both girls joined Scottish Women's Premier League champions Glasgow City in August 2008.[3][5]

At the end of the 2012 season, Mukandi had a trial period in Denmark with earlier Champions League opponents Fortuna Hjørring, before heading for further trials in Sweden and Germany.[6][7][8]

Mukandi signed professionally for Frauen-Bundesliga side SGS Essen in January 2013.[9] After just four months, reports in Germany linked Mukandi with a transfer to English champions Arsenal.[10] Arsenal confirmed the move on 22 July 2013.[11]

Emma Mukandi with Arsenal

Arsenal

Whilst at Arsenal, Mukandi won an FA Cup in 2014 with WSL Cups coming in 2013 and 2015. With the Gunners, she also went on a successful run to the FA Cup final of 2016. Arsenal beat Chelsea 1–0 at Wembley and Mukandi lifted the 2016 FA Cup.[12]

On 3 January 2020, it was announced that Mukandi would be joining Tottenham Hotspur on loan for the rest of the season.[13]

Reading

On 15 July 2020, Reading announced the signing of Mukandi from Arsenal.[14] On 20 July 2022, Reading announced that Mukandi had returned to the club and signed a one-year contract, following the birth of her daughter.[15] On 7 September 2022, Reading announced that Mukandi was their new club captain.[16] Following the clubs relegation from the Women's Super League to the Women's Championship, Mukandi announced that she would be leaving Reading.[17]

London City Lionesses

On 17 August 2023 London City Lionesses announced that they had signed Mukandi on a 2-year contract.[18]

International career

After captaining both the national Under-17 and Under-19 teams, Mukandi made her debut with the senior Scottish national team against France in May 2011. Despite conceding a penalty in Scotland's 1–1 draw, her contribution was praised by coach Anna Signeul: "Emma Mitchell did really well on her first appearance. It is a shame that she conceded the penalty, it was just a bit of inexperience to be honest, but she didn't let her head go down and kept working hard."[19]

Mukandi attended the Scottish Football Association National Performance Centre at the University of Stirling.[20] She scored her first goal for the Senior women's side against Iceland in August 2012 and later that year scored against Spain in a 2013 UEFA Women's Euro Play-off defeat.

She was ruled out of the Scotland squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2017 by a hamstring injury.[21] After injury disrupted her appearances for Arsenal in the 2018–19 season, she was left out of the squad for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France.[22]

Mukandi was recalled to the Scotland squad in August 2022, as she resumed her playing career after giving birth in November 2021.[23][24]

Personal life

In October 2019, Mukandi spoke about her struggles with her mental health issues.[25]

Mukandi was left out of the Scotland international squad in June 2021 as she had recently become pregnant.[26] On 28 November 2021, she gave birth to a baby girl.[27]

In August 2022, she married Head of Strength & Conditioning at Ipswich Town, Ivan Mukandi.[28]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 27 May 2023[1]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Arsenal 2013 FA Women's Super League 8 0 2 0 4 0 – 8 0
2014 13 0 3 0 2 0 – 13 0
2015 11 0 3 0 – – 11 0
2016 12 0 2 0 – – 12 0
2017 0 0 0 0 0 0 – – 0 0
2017–18 17 1 6 3 – – 23 4
2018–19 11 1 1 0 3 1 – – 15 2
2019–20 2 1 0 0 3 1 3 0 – 8 2
Total 74 3 1 0 22 5 9 0 0 0 106 8
Tottenham Hotspur (loan) 2019–20 FA Women's Super League 4 2 2 0 0 0 – – 6 2
Reading 2020–21 FA Women's Super League 14 0 0 0 3 0 – – 17 0
2021–22 0 0 0 0 0 0 – – 0 0
2022–23 21 0 3 1 2 0 – – 26 1
Total 35 0 3 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 43 1
London City Lionesses 2023–24 Championship 13 1 2 0 3 0 – – 18 1
Career total 126 6 8 1 30 5 9 0 0 0 173 12

International

As of the match played on 11 April 2023[2]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Scotland 2011 2 0
2012 12 3
2013 11 2
2014 12 0
2015 5 1
2016 5 1
2017 5 0
2018 7 0
2019 1 0
2020 5 0
2021 1 0
2022 3 0
2023 3 0
Total 72 7
As of match played 10 March 2020[2]
Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Mukandi goal.
List of international goals scored by Emma Mukandi
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 4 August 2012 Cappielow, Greenock, Scotland  Iceland 1–1 1–1 Friendly
2 30 August 2012 East End Park, Dunfermline, Scotland  Norway 1–0 2–2 Friendly
3 24 October 2012 La Ciudad del Fútbol, Las Rozas de Madrid, Spain  Spain 1–0 2–3 UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying
4 8 March 2013 GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus  England 4–4 4–4 2013 Cyprus Women's Cup
5 7 April 2013 East End Park, Dunfermline, Scotland  Wales 2–1 2–1 Friendly
6 6 March 2015 GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus  Italy 1–2 2–3 2015 Cyprus Women's Cup
7 8 March 2016 Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk, Scotland  Spain 1–0 1–1 Friendly

Honours

Glasgow City[29]

Arsenal[12][29]

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b Emma Mukandi at Soccerway
  2. ^ a b c Emma Mukandi at the Scottish Football Association
  3. ^ a b "Emma Mitchell leaves City to sign professional contract with SGS Essen". Glasgow City FC. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  4. ^ Karen Bale (4 December 2004). "She shoots she scores; Emma's four goals in first game for boys". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  5. ^ "Scotland name under-17 squad". Women's Soccer Scene. 14 September 2007. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  6. ^ Claus Dindler (22 November 2012). "Skrappe skotter til prøvetræning" [Tough Scots for trial] (in Danish). Fortuna Hjørring. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
  7. ^ Sofie Gustafsson (4 December 2012). "Landslagstrio på jakt efter drömkontrakt" [Team trio in search of dream contract]. Värmlands Folkblad (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  8. ^ Kristina Steffens (11 January 2013). "Högner schwärmt von Mitchell" [Högner raves about Mitchell] (in German). Revier Sport. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  9. ^ Markus Juchem (20 January 2013). "SGS Essen verpflichtet Emma Mitchell" [SGS Essen sign Emma Mitchell] (in German). Womensoccer.de. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  10. ^ Steffens, Kristina (15 May 2013). "Arsenal jagt Emma Mitchell" [Arsenal chase Emma Mitchell] (in German). RevierSport Online. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  11. ^ "Arsenal Ladies confirm double signing". Arsenal.com. Arsenal F.C. 22 July 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  12. ^ a b "Arsenal Ladies 1–0 Chelsea Ladies". Arsenal.
  13. ^ "Emma Mitchell joins Tottenham on loan".
  14. ^ "Mitchell makes move from Gunners to Reading Women' side". readingfc.co.uk/. Reading F.C. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  15. ^ "EMMA MITCHELL RE-SIGNS AS A ROYAL". readingfc.co.uk. Reading FC. 20 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  16. ^ "READING FC WOMEN CAPTAIN CONFIRMED". readingfc.co.uk. Reading F.C. 7 September 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  17. ^ "Difficult end to a difficult season for us, we are all hurting to have been relegated from the WSL". instagram.com/emsmitch3. Emma Mukandi Instagram. 29 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  18. ^ "London City Lionesses sign experienced Scotland defender Emma Mukandi". London City Lionesses. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  19. ^ "Local player makes Scotland debut against France". Scottish Football Association. 11 May 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  20. ^ "Emma Mitchell". University of Stirling. Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  21. ^ Dunn, Carrie (14 July 2017). "UEFA Women's EURO 2017 – England are on the up, Scotland achievements are remarkable". Eurosport. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  22. ^ Wrack, Suzanne (15 May 2019). "Women's World Cup: Arsenal's Emma Mitchell left out of Scotland squad". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  23. ^ "New mother Emma Mitchell in Scotland squad 'how it should be', says coach". BBC Sport. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  24. ^ Kanavan, Amy (25 October 2024). "Mukandi and daughter make Scotland squad a happy family". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  25. ^ "Emma Mitchell: Arsenal defender opens up on mental health". 9 October 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  26. ^ "McLaren names four fresh faces for SWNT's June friendlies". Scottish FA. 31 May 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  27. ^ "Huge congratulations to @emsmitch3 and her family on the arrival of their beautiful baby girl, Innes Mukandi". twitter.com/ReadingFCWomen/. Reading FC Women Twitter. 28 November 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  28. ^ "MR & MRS MUKANDI". twitter.com/emsmitch3/. Emma Mitchell Twitter. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  29. ^ a b "Emma Mitchell". Soccerway.com.
  30. ^ "WSL Team of the Year: Lucy Bronze is sole Liverpool player". BBC Sport. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.