Guy Madjo, a 31-year-old Cameroonian player, invited the 27-year-old to stay at his home in Grayshott, Hampshire, after she was locked out of her flat, jurors heard.
She awoke to find the defendant groping her, prosecutors said.
Mr Madjo, who denies sexual penetration, is being tried in his absence at Winchester Crown Court.
Judge Andrew Barnett warned jurors not to "speculate or guess" why the defendant was not present.
Rebecca Austin, prosecuting, said the woman had been drinking in a pub near her house in August last year.
After discovering she had been locked out she got her hand stuck in the letter box.
Mr Madjo, who lived nearby, helped her remove her hand and said she could stay on his sofa, the court heard.
Miss Austin said the woman, who described herself as "tipsy", fell asleep on the sofa but woke up to find herself being groped by the defendant.
She said: "She left, walked away and called the police, she said she was being followed by him.
"She ran away from Mr Madjo, she fell and then she hid behind a car, she was found by a neighbour."
Miss Austin said Mr Madjo, who shares the house with his wife and plays as a striker, "denied that he touched her sexually at all".
Mr Madjo, a free agent, has played for Tranmere Rovers, Aldershot, Bristol City, Forest Green Rovers, Stafford Rangers, Crawley Town and Shrewsbury Town.
He also played for Plymouth Argyle, Stevenage and Macclesfield Town as well as the Cameroon under-23 national team.
A professional footballer groped a "tipsy" woman who was asleep on his sofa, a court has heard.