Baj Maan

Baj Maan (born July 12, 2000) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Vaughan Azzurri in League1 Ontario.

Baj Maan

Baj Maan with Forge FC in 2021
Personal information
Date of birth	(2000-07-12) July 12, 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth	Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Vaughan Azzurri
Number	12
Youth career
	Rexdale SC
	Brampton East SC
2015–2019	Sigma FC
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2019	Northern Kentucky Norse	17	(0)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2019	Sigma FC	10	(0)
2019–2022	Forge FC	7	(0)
2022	Toronto FC II	0	(0)
2023	Simcoe County Rovers FC	19	(0)
2023	Toronto FC II	0	(0)
2024	Valour FC	0	(0)
2024–	Vaughan Azzurri	10	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of September 1, 2024

Early life

Maan grew up in Brampton, Ontario.^[1] In 2015, he joined the Sigma FC Academy.^[2]

Club career

In 2016, he began playing at the senior level with Sigma FC in League1 Ontario.

In June 2019, Maan signed a developmental contract with Canadian Premier League side Forge FC, managed by former Sigma FC coach Bobby Smyrniotis.^[3] As the third-string keeper behind Triston Henry and Quillan Roberts, he failed to make an appearance that year.^[4] That fall, he attended Northern Kentucky University, where he started in seventeen matches.^[1] In July 2020, Maan re-signed with Forge FC ahead of the delayed 2020 season.^[5] He made his professional debut on September 5, 2020 in a 2–2 draw against Valour FC.^[6] Maan re-signed with Forge FC for the 2022 season and served as an unused substitute for the club's CONCACAF Champions League matches against Cruz Azul.^[7][8][9] However, during the club's first match of the CPL season, OneSoccer broadcaster Adam Jenkins announced that Maan had left the club and was trialling at Toronto FC II.^[10]

Maan's trial was ultimately successful as he signed an MLS Next Pro contract with Toronto FC II in May 2022.^[11]

After leaving the club at the end of the season, in February 2023, Maan went on trial with Canadian Premier League side Pacific FC during their pre-season camp.^[12] He subsequently joined the Simcoe County Rovers of League1 Ontario, with whom he won the league championship and was named the league's Goalkeeper of the Year and a First Team All-Star.^[13][14] After the season, he signed a short-term contract for the remainder of the season with Toronto FC II.^[2]

In 2024, he served as a backup keeper for Valour FC due to the injury to starter Jonathan Viscosi.^[15] Afterwards, he joined Vaughan Azzurri in League1 Ontario. He helped Vaughan capture the league cup, defeating Simcoe County Rovers FC in the final.^[16]

Career statistics

As of September 6, 2024^[4]

Club statistics

Club	Season	League			Playoffs		National Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Sigma FC	2016[17]	League1 Ontario	1	0	—		—		—		1	0
	2017[18]		2	0	—		—		—		2	0
	2018[19]		0	0	—		—		—		0	0
	2019[20]		7	0	0	0	—		—		7	0
	Total		10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	10	0
Forge FC	2019	Canadian Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2020		1	0	0	0	—		0	0	1	0
	2021		6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
	2022		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		7	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	0
Toronto FC II	2022	MLS Next Pro	0	0	0	0	—		—		0	0
Simcoe County Rovers	2023[21]	League1 Ontario	19	0	2	0	—		—		21	0
Toronto FC II	2023	MLS Next Pro	0	0	—		—		—		0	0
Valour FC	2023	League1 Ontario	0	0	—		0	0	—		0	0
Vaughan Azzurri	2024	League1 Ontario Premier	10	0	—		—		3	0	13	0
Career total			46	0	2	0	0	0	3	0	51	0

Honours

Club

Forge FC

• Canadian Premier League: 2020

Simcoe County Rovers

• League1 Ontario: 2023

References

1. "Baj Maan". Northern Kentucky University. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
2. "Toronto FC II sign goalkeeper Baj Maan to short-term agreement". Toronto FC. September 22, 2023.
3. "Forge signs goalkeeper Baj Maan to developmental contract". Canadian Premier League. June 11, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
4. Baj Maan at Soccerway
5. "Forge FC adds 3 Canadians to roster; parts ways with Giuliano Frano". Canadian Premier League. July 31, 2020. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
6. O'Connor-Clarke, Charlie (September 5, 2020). "Forge leans on depth in Valour draw, turns full focus to 2nd round". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
7. Jacques, John (February 15, 2022). "Running Through The Six: A Look At Forge's New Signings". Northern Tribune. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
8. "Game Details". CONCACAF. February 16, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
9. "Game Details". CONCACAF. February 24, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
10. "Pacific FC vs Forge FC". Canadian Premier League. Langford, British Columbia. April 10, 2022. 113 minutes in. OneSoccer. Retrieved April 10, 2022. I incorrectly said that the Forge goalkeeping stable was up to four, but Baj Maan has departed from the club. I was able to confirm that with the media communications staff at half time, so my apologies for that error. At last check he was trialling with TFC II.
11. "Toronto FC II sign goalkeeper Baj Maan". Toronto FC II. May 7, 2022. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
12. Jacques, John (February 21, 2023). "Here's Who Is Trialing With Pacific FC". Northern Tribune. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
13. Jacques, John (November 20, 2023). "Baj Maan Named League1 Ontario's Goalkeeper Of The Year". Northern Tribune.
14. "MVP Tomasz Skublak leads line in star-studded XI". League1 Ontario. November 28, 2023.
15. Rhodes, Benedict [@BTFR17] (May 10, 2024). "Former Forge goalkeeper Baj Maan makes an appearance on the Valour bench today as Jonathan Viscosi misses out through injury" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
16. "Vaughan Azzurri win Men's L1 Cup". League1 Ontario. September 7, 2024.
17. "Baj Mann 2016 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
18. "Baj Mann 2017 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
19. "Baj Mann 2018 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
20. "Baj Maan 2019 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
21. "Baj Maan 2023 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.

External links

• Baj Maan at Soccerway