Tolomeo Mwansa

Last updated
Tolomeo Mwansa
Tolomeo Mwansa.jpg
Personal information
Date of birth 1941
Place of birth Kitwe, Northern Rhodesia
Date of death 4 July 2014(2014-07-04) (aged 73)
Place of death Samfya, Zambia
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1960–1972 Mufulira Wanderers
International career
1964–1969 Zambia
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Tolomeo Mwansa (1941 - 4 July 2014) was Zambia’s goalkeeper at independence in October 1964. Nicknamed ‘Juva,’ he won several trophies in a very successful career with the all-conquering ‘Mighty’ Mufulira Wanderers including the 1965 Super Castle Cup against City Wanderers in Salisbury.

Contents

Playing career

Mwansa was born in 1941 in Kitwe and played football on the streets as a boy before taking it up seriously at Luanshimba School in 1956. When his father retired from the mine in Kitwe, the family moved to Mufulira in 1959 and the following year, Mwansa joined Mufulira Mine Team whose name changed to Mufulira Wanderers in 1962 when the Zambian National Football League (NFL) was formed. [1]

He kept goal for the dominant Wanderers side of the ‘60s and played alongside players like Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu, Penius ‘Kapenta’ Chirwa, Joseph ‘Kanono’ Musonda, Dickson ‘Barb-Wire’ Makwaza, George ‘Wikolo’ Sikazwe, Patrick ‘Whiskey’ Nkole, Ken Simwanza, Bedford ‘Mayo,’ Kaputo, Willie ‘Orlando’ Kunda and Elijah ‘Kapilipili’ Mwale. [2]

Tall and powerfully built, Mwansa was an imposing figure to many opponents and was also known for showboating. [3] He was in the Wanderers team that won its first league championship in 1963 and would go on to win 4 more league titles including three in a row in 1965-1967. Often turning up with a clean-shaven head on match day, the giant goalkeeper was also in goal when Wanderers won the Super Castle Cup by beating City Wanderers of Southern Rhodesia 4-3 in October 1965. [4]

Mwansa was first selected for the national team in July 1964 when Zambia affiliated to both FIFA and CAF and travelled to Malawi for the Mufulu Cup which featured Tanzania and Malawi and was in goal as Zambia beat Tanzania 3-0 and the hosts 5-0. [3]

Mwansa also featured in the Saba Saba tournament in Tanzania in July 1967 though he did not see much action after this as Happy Malama was the preferred goalkeeper by national team coaches, relegating Mwansa to a reserve role. He made a return when Zambia met Cameroon for a place at CAN 1970 with Zambia drawing 2-2 at home in June 1969 and going out after a 2-1 defeat in Yaoundé on 3 August 1969 in a match where Zambia scored first through Godfrey Chitalu and conceded an equalizer by Confiance Moukoko in the 56th minute. Cameroun’s winning goal was conceded when Mwansa, in retrieving a ball which was going out for a goal kick collided with a Cameroonian attacker and a penalty was awarded in the 75th minute which sent Zambia packing. [5]

In the same year during a Shell Challenge Cup quarter-final match between Wanderers and City of Lusaka at Woodlands Stadium, Mwansa was involved in a challenge with Ridgeway Liwena, that left the City striker with a compound fracture of the leg, that abruptly cut short his career. [6]

In 1970 Abraham Nkole rose to prominence as Wanderers goalkeeper although Mwansa still featured in some matches as Nkole would sometimes play as a striker. He almost joined Wanderers’ rivals Mufulira Blackpool in 1971 but changed his mind and stayed at Shinde Stadium. He featured in that year’s Castle Cup final against Roan United after a twice replayed semi-final against Kabwe Warriors which ended in 2-2 and 3-3 draws before Wanderers prevailed 3-2. Wanderers lifted the trophy after winning by the odd goal in a nine-goal thriller. [7]

Mwansa retired from soccer in 1972 to concentrate on his job with the mines. In 1977, he served as interim Vice-Chairman for Wanderers when player power forced out the executive and a care-taker committee was installed. [8]

Personal life

Mwansa had 10 children with Eliza whom he married in 1960. He retired from the mines where he had risen to Sectional Shift boss, in 1995 and relocated to his home village in Samfya to concentrate on farming. [1]

Death

Mwansa died on 4 July 2014 in Samfya after illness. [9]

Related Research Articles

Mufulira is a town in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. Mufulira means "Place of Abundance and Peace". The town developed around the Mufulira Copper Mine in the 1930s. The town also serves as the administrative capital of Mufulira District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Chabala</span> Zambian footballer

David Efford Chabala, popularly known as Efford Chabala was Zambia's first choice goalkeeper from 1983 until his death in a plane crash off the Gabonese coast in 1993 and is one of Zambia's most capped players, with 108 full international appearances. Chabala was instrumental in Zambia's first ever East and Central African Championship success when he saved three penalties in Zambia's 3–0 shoot-out victory over Malawi in the 1984 final in Uganda after a goalless draw at full-time. He was named Zambia's Sportsman of the Year in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Godfrey Chitalu</span> Zambian footballer (1947–1993)

Godfrey Chitalu, nicknamed Ucar, was a Zambian footballer who played as a forward. He is widely regarded as the greatest Zambian player of all time as he holds his national team's goalscoring record and was voted Zambian footballer of the year five times. In 2006, he was selected by CAF as one of the best 200 African footballers of the past 50 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Chola</span> Zambian footballer and coach

Alexander "Alex" Chola was a Zambian footballer and coach. Voted Zambian Footballer of the Year in 1976, he is regarded as one of the greatest Zambian players in history and is the country's second highest goal scorer after Godfrey Chitalu. He made a mark at Mufulira Blackpool and Power Dynamos before becoming Dynamos coach and winning the Coach of the Year award in 1992. Chola died in a plane crash off the coast of Gabon on 27 April 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel Ndhlovu</span> Zambian footballer and coach

Samuel Ndhlovu was a Zambian footballer and coach. Nicknamed "Zoom", he led the "Mighty" Mufulira Wanderers to unparalleled league and cup triumphs for almost two decades. He was named Zambian Sportsman of the Year in 1964 and also served the national team as captain and coach. He is widely regarded as Zambia's best local coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mufulira Wanderers F.C.</span> Zambian football club

Mufulira Wanderers are Zambia's most successful football club, based in the Copperbelt town of Mufulira and currently playing in the Zambia National Division One after their 2019/2020 season relegation.

Roan United is a Zambian football club based in Luanshya, in the Zambian Premier League and mostly successful during the early years of Zambian football. Indeed, they were the inaugural winners of the ZPL, clinching what was then called the Northern Rhodesia National Football League in 1962. They play their home matches at Kafubu Stadium.

Dickson Kenneth Makwaza was a Zambian football player and coach. Nicknamed "Barbed-Wire" due to his tenacity in defence, he was one of the most decorated players in Zambian soccer history and was captain of the Zambian national team that made its first ever appearance at the African Cup of Nations tournament in Egypt in 1974. Makwaza also captained Mufulira Wanderers and was voted Zambian footballer of the year in 1973. He later coached Wanderers and several other club sides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moses Simwala</span> Zambian footballer and coach

Moses Simwala was a Zambian footballer and coach. Nicknamed 'the chairman,' Simwala featured for Zambia and Rhokana United as a right winger, the same club he would go on to coach for over 12 years and become the most successful coach in Zambian club football, winning the league title a record 8 times and 21 trophies in all. He was voted Zambian coach of the year in 1988 and 1989.

Vincent Chileshe is a Zambian coach and former goalkeeper. He was crowned Zambian player of the year in 1977 at the age of 20, the first goalkeeper to achieve that feat, and was in goal for Zambia at CAN 1978. He is currently coaching Zambian Division 2 side Young Green Eagles.

Biggie Mbasela, better known as Gibby Mbasela was a Zambian footballer who played for Kalulushi Modern Stars, Mufulira Wanderers, Nkana Red Devils, 1. FC Union Berlin of Germany and Tunisian champions Esperance. Renowned for his dribbling skills, Mbasela was voted Zambian Footballer of the Year in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard Chanda</span> Zambian footballer

Bernard Chanda was one of Zambia's greatest strikers and was the league top scorer three times. Nicknamed 'Bomber,' he played for three of Zambia's biggest clubs – Roan United, Mufulira Wanderers and Rokana United, and is remembered for scoring a hat-trick in the 4–2 semi-final victory over Congo at the 1974 African Cup of Nations tournament. Chanda was voted Zambian Footballer of the Year in 1974 and is fourth on the list of all-time goal scorers for Zambia in international matches behind Godfrey Chitalu, Alex Chola and Kalusha Bwalya with 29 goals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dick Chama</span> Zambian footballer and coach

Dick Chama was a Zambian footballer and coach who played as a centre-back. He was Zambia's defensive stalwart from the late '60s to the mid '70s and formed a formidable central defence pairing alongside Dickson Makwaza and was part of Zambia's squad during the country's very first CAN outing in 1974 and made the official CAF team of the tournament. Chama was voted Zambian Sportsman of the Year in 1975 and after retirement, he coached several club sides as well as the national team.

Boniface Simutowe was one of Zambia's greatest midfielders who also had a long career as a coach. Nicknamed 'Chest Master,' he was the first footballer to be named Zambian Footballer of the Year and Sportsman of the Year in the same season and was part of the great Kabwe Warriors side that swept all the silverware on offer in 1972. He later took to coaching and was involved with the national team for several years.

William Kunda was a Zambian footballer who represented Zambia and Mufulira Wanderers as a striker in the mid-1960s. During a brief but prolific career, Kunda won several trophies with Wanderers until his career was prematurely ended by injury in 1966.

George Sikazwe was a former Zambian footballer and coach, who played for Mufulira Wanderers and Zambia as a midfielder, representing his country before and after independence. He also served as Wanderers' coach and together with Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu, he is credited with masterminding the team’s early success.

Happy Malama is a former Zambian goalkeeper who played for Roan United and was in goal in Zambia’s first ever World Cup qualifier against Sudan in October 1968. He is often mistaken for Innocent “Mummy” Malama, another goalkeeper who featured for the national team prior to Zambia’s independence. In 1970, Malama moved from Roan to Chibuku Warriors for what was then the record transfer fee in Zambian football.

The 2018 COSAFA U-20 Cup was the 25th edition of the COSAFA U-20 Challenge Cup, an international youth competition open to national associations of the COSAFA region. It took place between 30 November and 13 December in Zambia.

John "Ginger" Pensulo was a Zambian footballer and coach. A key player for Roan United, he led the club to the Zambian league title in its inaugural season in 1962 and was one of the men behind the team's fluid style of play, being involved in various coaching roles.

Philemon Chisala is a former Zambian footballer who featured for Mufulira Wanderers in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s as a defender or midfielder. He also represented Zambia at the 1989 CECAFA Cup and CAN 1990.

References

  1. 1 2 Tembo, Benedict. “Tolomeo: From KK-11 goalie to caterpillar farmer” Zambia Daily Mail, 12 May 2012, p.10
  2. ↑ Lombe, Humphrey “What Makes Wanderers Tick?” Times of Zambia, 7 December 1978, p.8
  3. 1 2 Dixon, Keith (2010). Jackie Sewell. Derby, Great Britain. The Derby Books Publishing Company Limited. ISBN   978-1-85983-876-1
  4. ↑ Anon. “Mufulira take Castle Cup” Times of Zambia, 18 October 1965 p.14
  5. ↑ Anon. “70th minute penalty beats Zambia” Times of Zambia, 5 August 1969 p.10
  6. ↑ “NSCZ, FAZ mourn veteran scribe Liwena” (24 April 2012) zamtellife http://wap.zamtellife.co.zm/news/view/id/NTk= (retrieved 3 December 2012)
  7. ↑ Mulenga, Alfred. “Hail Wanderers” Times of Zambia, 11 October 1971 p.10
  8. ↑ Anon. “’Zoom’ names Wanderers caretaker committee” Times of Zambia, 10 August 1978 p.10
  9. ↑ “Tolomeo Mwansa dies” (5 July 2014) African News Hub http://www.africanewshub.com/en/news/1648077-tolomeo-mwansa-dies (retrieved 13 October 2014)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.