Kei Kamara

AT A GLANCE:

• Veteran striker acquired via trade with Columbus Crew SC in May 2016 and has posted 19 goals with seven assists in 52 appearances for New England.
• Currently the second-leading scorer among active MLS players and ranks 10^th all-time with 98 regular season goals.
• In 2015, finished as runner-up for the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award and was named to the MLS Best XI with 22 goals and eight assists.
• Named the MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year in 2015.
• Entered MLS with Columbus in 2006; has also played for Sporting Kansas City, Houston Dynamo, San Jose Earthquakes, Middlesbrough FC, and Norwich City.
• Has been capped 26 times and scored five goals with the Sierra Leone national team.

MLS CAREER: Proven striker with a wealth of experience in 11 MLS seasons and two with New England…Career regular season totals include 286 appearances, 235 starts, 98 goals, and 38 assists in 21,429 minutes played…Ranks second in goals among active MLS players, trailing only San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski (134)…Ranks 10^th on the all-time MLS goal-scoring chart…The Sierra Leone native has scored five goals and one assist in 12 postseason games, with 11 starts…In 2017, played in 31 games, starting 27, and tallied 12 goals with five assists…In 2016, made 30 total starts, including 21 for the Revolution…Scored 12 total goals and tied for Revolution team lead with seven goals, adding two assists…Posted a career year in 2015, starting 31 of 32 games and scoring 22 goals…Earned a MLS Best XI nod and a runner-up finish for the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award…Re-joined MLS in 2014 after a two-year stint playing in England…Scored seven goals in 15 appearances with Sporting Kansas City in 2013…In 2012, played in 33 games and started 32 while scoring 11 goals with eight assists…Notched nine goals and four assists in 2011…Tallied 10 goals for first double-digit scoring campaign in 2010, and added six assists…Played in 28 matches in 2009, starting 24, and scored six goals with both Kansas City and Houston Dynamo…In 2008, played in 12 matches for the San Jose Earthquakes and 10 matches with Houston, finishing the year with four goals and two helpers…Played in 17 games in 2007 and scored twice…In first MLS campaign in 2006, scored three goals in 19 appearances with Columbus, six of which were starts…First entered MLS as the ninth-overall selection by Columbus in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft. 

2017: Made 31 appearances and 27 starts…Scored 12 goals and added five assists in 2,365 minutes of action…Led team with four game-winning goals and recorded two game-winning helpers…Earned Alcatel MLS Player of the Week honors and named to MLSsoccer.com's Team of the Week three times…Became 12^th player in league history with 100 overall MLS goals including playoffs…(3/4) at COL: Recorded four shots in the season opener…(3/25) vs. MIN: Opened 2017 scoring account in the 21^st minute…Named to MLSsoccer.com’s Team of the Week…(4/8) vs. HOU: Scored second goal of the season, the game-winner in a 2-0 win…(4/22) vs. DC: Tallied first assist of season, distributing a cross that was headed in by Lee Nguyen in the fifth minute of the 2-2 draw…(5/13) vs. RSL: Registered third goal and second assist of the season in a 4-0 win…(5/21) vs. CLB: Recorded an assist for a second consecutive match in a 2-1 victory…(5/31) at NYC: Notched fourth goal of the campaign in a  2-2 draw…(7/2) at PHI: Matched season-high with six shots…(7/22) vs. LA: Contributed one goal and one assist…Recorded the game-winning assist on Teal Bunbury's second goal…(7/29) vs. PHI: Notched 15^th career brace and second with the Revolution…Beat Philadelphia's goalkeeper to the near post in the 85^th minute to secure the brace…(8/5) at CHI: Registered fourth goal in a three-game span in a 4-1 loss…(9/2) vs. ORL: Recorded first career hat trick in 4-0 win over Orlando City SC…Eclipsed 100 combined regular season and postseason MLS goal…(9/23) vs. TOR: scored the game-winning goal and 98^th of MLS career in a 2-1 victory…(10/22) at MTL: Registered the game-winning assist on Kelyn Rowe's stoppage time game-winner in a 3-2 win.

2016 (with New England Revolution and Columbus Crew SC): Made 30 appearances, all starts, including 21 with the Revolution…Registered seven goals and two assists in 21 appearances for New England after joining club via midseason trade…Scored five goals in nine appearances for Columbus Crew SC prior to trade…Finished second in Revolution’s Golden Boot race after tying with Juan Agudelo, who won the award on assists, for the team lead in goals…Registered first Revolution goal and assist during U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 match at New York Cosmos on June 29…Recorded second goal and second assist of U.S. Open Cup play in Semifinal against the Chicago Fire on Aug. 9…(3/6) at POR: Started in season opener for Columbus and tallied five shots…(3/12) vs. PHI: Opened 2016 scoring account in the 2-1 loss, becoming the second active player at the time to reach 75 career goals…(4/16) vs. NYC: Scored second goal of the season…(4/23) vs. HOU: Scored in a second straight match, slotting home a penalty in the 1-0 win…(5/7) vs. MTL: Posted a multi-goal effort, scoring twice, in last match with Crew SC…(5/14) vs. CHI: Made Revolution debut and recorded six shots…(5/21) vs. DAL: Recorded four shots in the 4-2 loss…(6/18) at VAN: Tallied three shots in the 2-1 road win…(7/2) at MTL: Scored twice in first multi-goal performance with the Revs, a 3-2 loss…(7/9) vs. CLB: Scored in first matchup against former team, Crew SC, since midseason trade, a 3-1 win for New England…(7/31) at ORL: Opened the scoring in 19^th minute with ninth goal of season in 3-1 loss…(8/13) vs. PHI: Made 200th career MLS start…(8/28) at NY: Made 250th career MLS appearance…(9/17) at MTL: Scored 24 seconds into match, marking the third fastest goal in Revolution history…Recorded first assist of season on Kelyn Rowe’s 27^th-minute goal…(10/1) vs. SKC: Scored within opening five minutes for the second time in three matches…Earned bench spot on MLSsoccer.com’s Team of the Week...(10/23) vs. MTL: Scored third goal in a five-match span in season finale.

2015 (with Columbus Crew SC): Posted a career year, playing in 32 games, with 31 starts, in second stint with Columbus… Scored 22 goals and added eight assists, earning a runner-up finish for the 2015 Landon Donovan MLS MVP award and an MLS Best XI honor…Named to the AT&T MLS All-Star Game active roster for the first time in career and played 45 minutes…Named Crew SC’s Most Valuable Player and MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year…Started all five postseason games and scored four goals en route to an MLS Cup appearance…(3/14) vs. TOR: Scored first goal of the season in the team’s second match and home opener…(4/8) at VAN: Tallied both of the team’s goals in a 2-2 draw for first brace of the season…(4/18) vs. ORL: Posted one goal and one assist in the club’s 3-0 win…(4/25) vs. PHI: Repeated one-goal, one-assist performance in the 4-1 victory…(5/9) vs. SEA: Notched second brace of the year with two goals in the 3-2 win…(5/22) vs. CHI: Scored two goals for the second time in three matches, tallying both of Crew SC’s goals in the 2-2 draw…Earned MLS Player of the Week honors…(5/30) at ORL: Played 90 minutes and netted one goal, setting the all-time club record for fastest player to reach double figures in goals…(6/24) vs. NE: Recorded fourth brace of the campaign in the 2-1 win…(6/27) at RSL: Posted one assist…(7/4) vs. NY: Tallied first multi-assist effort of the season, setting up both goals in the 2-1 win…(7/15) at CHI: Began a three-game scoring streak with the lone goal in the 1-0 win…(7/19) vs. CHI: Tallied again in the 3-1 win…(7/25) vs. TOR: Played 90 minutes and scored one goal…(8/8) at COL: Registered fifth brace of the season with both Columbus goals in the 2-1 win…(8/19) vs. NYC: Scored again and added one assist…(8/22) vs. SKC: Added another assist…(9/12) at PHI: Notched sixth brace of the year, becoming the second player in club history ever to reach 20 goals in a single season…(9/19) at DC: Scored 21^st goal of the season and added his eighth assist in the 2-1 win…(9/26) vs. POR: Scored in third straight game for 22^nd goal of the year…Postseason: (11/8) vs. MTL: Played the full 120 minutes and finished with two goals, including the series winner…(11/22) vs. NY: Tallied another series-winning goal in the 2-0 win in the first leg in the Eastern Conference Finals…(12/6) vs. POR: Scored one goal and played the full 90 minutes in the 2015 MLS Cup.

2014 (with Columbus Crew SC and Middlesbrough FC): Did not make an appearance in MLS action…Re-joined MLS after nearly one year with Middlesbrough, where he made 25 total appearances…Parted ways with Middlesbrough in late August 2014…Signed with Columbus via the Major League Soccer allocation ranking on Oct. 7, 2014 and was formally added to the club’s roster on Jan. 1, 2015.

2013 (with Sporting Kansas City, Norwich City, and Middlesbrough FC): Prior to the 2013 MLS season, signed on loan by Premier League side Norwich City…Returned to Sporting KC following the expiration of loan and made 15 appearances, with 10 starts, in MLS play…Tallied seven goals and two assists in league action…Also made one appearance in the U.S. Open Cup, scoring one goal…Sold to Middlesbrough of England’s second division on Sept. 2…(5/8) vs. SEA: Made 2013 MLS debut, playing 17 minutes as a substitute…(5/26) vs. HOU: Scored team’s lone goal in the 1-1 draw for first score of the season…(6/1) vs. MTL: Earned first start of the year and played 90 minutes…(6/22) at DAL: Scored one goal in 90 minutes of action…(6/29) at SKC: Notched first brace of the season in the 3-2 win…(8/3) at SKC: Scored against old club for the third time in 2013, and added one assist…(8/10) vs. NE: Tallied second brace of the year with two goals in the 3-0 win.

2012 (with Sporting Kansas City): Set a career-high in appearances (33), starts (32), assists (eight), and a then-career high in goals (11)…Helped the team earn the first seed in the Eastern Conference…Also made two postseason starts with one assist…Made two U.S. Open Cup appearances, helping Sporting capture the title…Scored in the U.S. Open Cup Final against Seattle, and then also converted a penalty in the shootout necessary to decide the champion…(3/17) vs. NE: Scored and tallied an assist in the 3-0 win in the home opener…(3/25) vs. DAL: Scored in a second straight game…(4/7) vs. LA: Scored the game’s lone goal in the 1-0 win…(4/18) at VAN: Tallied fourth goal of the year in the 3-1 win…(5/27) vs. SJ: Notched one goal and one assist, setting up both goals in the 2-1 win…(7/4) at MTL: Tallied in the 3-1 victory…(7/18) at HOU: After recording an assist in the previous match, slotted home one goal in the 2-1 loss…(7/28) vs. CLB: Scored another goal in the 2-1 defeat…(8/18) at TOR: Began a two-game scoring streak with one goal in 86 minutes of action…(8/26) vs. NY: Scored team’s only goal in the 1-1 draw, his second straight match with a goal…(10/24) vs. PHI: Tallied two assists, setting up both of the club’s goals in the 2-2 draw…Postseason: (11/7) vs. HOU: Set up the team’s one goal with an assist in 90 minutes of action.

2011 (with Sporting Kansas City): Set a then-career best with 30 MLS appearances, 24 of which were starts…Totaled two multi-goal performances en route to a nine-goal campaign…Helped the team to a 13-9-12 record and the top seed in the Eastern Conference…Also started three postseason matches…Made two U.S. Open Cup appearances, scoring one goal…(3/19) at CHV: Posted two assists in the season-opening win…(4/2) at VAN: Opened 2011 scoring account with one goal…(4/23) at NE: Notched two goals in 87 minutes of action for his first brace of the season…(7/23) vs. TOR: Found the back of the net for the first time since April 23, scoring two goals in the 4-2 win…(8/6) vs. SEA: Tallied one goal in the 2-1 loss…(8/21) vs. DC: Started a two-game scoring streak with one goal…(8/27) vs. DAL: Scored in a second straight match…(9/28) vs. CLB: Scored against his old club in the 2-1 win...Postseason: (10/30) at COL: Started and played 89 minutes…(11/6) vs. HOU: Set a then-career postseason high with five shots.

2010 (with Kansas City Wizards): Played 29 games, with 27 starts, for Kansas City and notched first career 10-goal campaign…Added six assists, also setting a then-career high…Opened the year with a two-match goal-scoring streak…(3/27) vs. DC: Tallied in the season opener…(4/10) vs. COL: Scored for the second time in two games…(5/15) vs. CHI: Recorded second career two-goal performance as part of another two-match goal-scoring streak.

2009 (with Houston Dynamo and Kansas City Wizards): Appeared in 22 games for Houston, starting 20, before being traded to Kansas City on Sept. 15…Played in six games for the Wizards, starting four…His 24 total starts set a then-career best…Scored six goals on the year, including five with Houston…Registered the first two-game goal-scoring streak of career by tallying in consecutive clashes on May 23 vs. San Jose and May 30 vs. Toronto...Also made one appearance for Houston in the 2009-2010 CONCACAF Champions League on Aug. 26, scoring a goal against Arabe Unido.

2008 (with San Jose Earthquakes and Houston Dynamo): Traded to the San Jose Earthquakes prior to the season in exchange for midfielder Brian Carroll…Later traded from San Jose to Houston on July 24…Played in a total of 22 matches with 17 starts, including 12 games for the Earthquakes and 10 for the Dynamo…Totaled four goals and two assists on the year, with both helpers coming as a member of the Dynamo…Also made first MLS Cup Playoff appearances with Houston, totaling one goal in two games…Made seven appearances during the 2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League, scoring two goals in a Group Stage match against Universidad Nacional on Sept. 30…(8/20) vs. CHV: Notched first career multi-goal game with a brace in his third match with Houston…Postseason: (11/1) at NY: Scored first postseason goal with an equalizer off the bench in the 85^th minute.

2007 (with Columbus Crew): Appeared in 17 matches for Columbus in his sophomore season, making four starts and scoring two goals on the year…Saw 475 minutes of action, tallying 16 shots and seven shots on goal.

2006 (with Columbus Crew): Entered MLS as the ninth-overall selection in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft…Appeared in 19 matches in his first professional season, including nine starts…Tallied three goals during his rookie campaign…(4/1) at KC: Notched first professional goal in MLS debut.

CLUB CAREER OUTSIDE OF MLS: Spent time playing in England with Norwich City (2013) and Middlesbrough FC (2013-14)…Loaned to Premier League side Norwich City prior to the 2013 MLS campaign, making 11 appearances for the Canaries…Scored first Premier League goal in his second ever match in the league, on Feb. 23 vs. Everton…Returned to Sporting KC following the expiration of his loan…Sold to Middlesbrough of England’s second division on Sept. 2, 2013…Made 25 appearances, with 16 starts, and scored four goals for Boro during the 2013-14 season…Scored first Championship goal on Oct. 5, 2013 against Yeovil Town…Helped the club to a mid-table 12^th place finish in the 2013-14 Football League Championship standings…Agreed to terminate his contract with Middlesbrough on Aug. 28, 2014, and did not make an appearance for the club during the 2014-15 season.

NATIONAL TEAM (SIERRA LEONE): Owns 26 career caps and five goals with the Sierra Leone National Team…Has recently served as captain…Debut for his country came during 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification on June 14, 2008 vs. South Africa…Scored first goals in international play during the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifications against Sao Tome and Principe on June 16, 2012…Appeared in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification fixtures, scoring another goal for Sierra Leone on June 8, 2013 against Tunisia…Fourth international goal came on Sept. 6, 2014 against Ivory Coast in qualification for the 2015 AFCON…In 2015, earned a call-up ahead of Sierra Leone’s 2017 AFCON qualification match against Ivory Coast, earning his 24^th cap in the 0-0 draw against the 2015 AFCON champions…Returned to national team for 2017 AFCON qualification match against Ivory Coast on Sept. 3, 2016 and scored in the 1-1 draw…Registered an assist in AFCON qualifying win vs. Kenya on June 8, 2017.

PERSONAL: Married to his wife, Kristin…Has two children, daughter Kierin and son Kendrick…Has a dog, Chelsea…Involved in multiple charitable initiatives including Schools for Salone and his Heart Shaped Hands Foundation…Enjoys an eclectic mix of music, but also likes songs that can either make him dance or contain compelling lyrics, listing Sam Smith and various African artists among favorites…On days off, enjoys walking his dog, riding his four-wheeler skates, and playing volleyball…Favorite team growing up was local football club based in hometown of Kenema, the Kamboi Eagles, because his brothers played for the team…Grew up idolizing former Dutch international Patrick Kluivert.