Festus Baise
# Festus Baise

Festus Baise (Chinese: 法圖斯; born 11 April 1980) is a former Nigerian-born Hong Kong professional footballer who played as a centre back.

## Club career

### Early career

Festus Baise was born in Lagos, Nigeria and was advised to go to Hong Kong and have tryouts with top tier clubs Happy Valley and Sun Hei. He would receive an offer from second tier club Mutual where he started his football career in the 2004–05 league season. Baise would join top tier club South China half way through the season and played in six games, scoring one goal.

### Citizen

On 16 December 2011, Baise scored an own goal, described as a reverse scorpion kick, past his goalkeeper Tse Tak Him in a 3–2 win over Sun Hei in the league match. It was selected as the 5th best own goal of all time by the Daily Telegraph's Steve Wilson.

On 21 March 2012, Baise struck a last-minute winner as Citizen edged out Myanmar's Yangon United 2–1 at Mongkok Stadium to record a first win of the 2012 AFC Cup campaign in Group G.

### Guizhou Hengfeng

On 13 December 2015, Chinese club Guizhou Hengfeng signed Baise from Eastern, citing his performances against China in two matches during 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification. He arrived at the club on 1 January 2016.

On 1 March 2018, Guizhou announced that Baise had signed a new contract through the end of 2019. He left the club after his contract expired.

## International career

Baise was born in Nigeria, and is of Ghanaian descent. In December 2012, Baise confirmed that he had applied to the Hong Kong Immigration Department for naturalisation as a Chinese citizen. He was granted the Hong Kong SAR Passport on 7 March 2015 and Baise made his international debut for Hong Kong against Guam on 28 March 2015.

## Career statistics

### Club

    As of 31 December 2019.

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :

| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Mutual | 2004–05 | Hong Kong Second Division League | | | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | |
| South China | 2004–05 | Hong Kong First Division League | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Citizen | 2005–06 | Hong Kong First Division League | 19 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 19 | 4 |
| Citizen | 2006–07 | Hong Kong First Division League | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 17 | 4 |
| Citizen | 2007–08 | Hong Kong First Division League | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 24 | 1 |
| Citizen | 2008–09 | Hong Kong First Division League | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 21 | 2 |
| Citizen | 2009–10 | Hong Kong First Division League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Citizen | 2010–11 | Hong Kong First Division League | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 |
| Citizen | 2011–12 | Hong Kong First Division League | 16 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 7 |
| Citizen | 2012–13 | Hong Kong First Division League | 18 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 7 | 2 | 26 | 7 |
| Citizen | 2013–14 | Hong Kong First Division League | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 18 | 2 |
| Citizen | Total | Total | 151 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 170 | 29 |
| Pegasus | 2014–15 | Hong Kong Premier League | 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 2 | 1 | 21 | 6 |
| Eastern | 2015–16 | Hong Kong Premier League | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Guizhou Hengfeng | 2016 | China League One | 28 | 6 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 28 | 6 |
| Guizhou Hengfeng | 2017 | Chinese Super League | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 23 | 3 |
| Guizhou Hengfeng | 2018 | Chinese Super League | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 14 | 0 |
| Guizhou Hengfeng | 2019 | China League One | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 22 | 1 |
| Guizhou Hengfeng | Total | Total | 87 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 87 | 10 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 265 | 40 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 291 | 47 |

* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Appearances in Hong Kong Senior Challenge Shield
* ↑ One appearance in Hong Kong Senior Challenge Shield, One appearance and one goal in AFC Cup Play-off

### International

    As of 11 June 2019.

| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| - | - | - | - |
| Hong Kong | 2015 | 10 | 0 |
| Hong Kong | 2016 | 6 | 0 |
| Hong Kong | 2017 | 5 | 0 |
| Hong Kong | 2018 | 6 | 2 |
| Hong Kong | 2019 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 28 | 2 |

### International goals

    Scores and results list Hong Kong's goal tally first.

| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1. | 16 October 2018 | Wibawa Mukti Stadium, Cikarang, Indonesia | Indonesia | 1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 2. | 16 November 2018 | Taipei Municipal Stadium, Taipei, Taiwan | Mongolia | 4–1 | 5–1 | 2019 EAFF E-1 Football Championship qualification |

## Personal life

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Baise is of Ghanaian descent. In December 2012, Baise confirmed that he had applied to the Hong Kong Immigration Department for naturalisation as a Chinese citizen. He was granted a Hong Kong SAR passport on 7 March 2015. His brother, Henry Baise Okwara (or 亨利, born Apr 16, 1992), is also a footballer. He is a Ghanaian citizen who came to Hong Kong with him and was granted a Hong Kong SAR passport. On 1 January 2012, he transferred from Wing Yee to Citizen in the Hong Kong First Division, and has been at the club ever since. He is a right-footed centre-back who can also play as a defensive midfielder, and he is 1.78 metres (5.8 ft) tall.

## Honours

### Club

**Citizen**

* Hong Kong Senior Shield: 2010–11

**Eastern**

* Hong Kong Premier League: 2015–16
