Toni Nhleko
Encyclopedia
Nkosinathi Nhleko is a South Africa
n soccer striker
who currently is plays as a striker
for Kaizer Chiefs:
, for whom he played from 1998 to 2002.
of Norway
; although he appeared in 20 games, including two UEFA Cup
matches, Nhleko had trouble adjusting to the climate and environment at Brann, and during the summer of 2003, was loaned to Major League Soccer
's Dallas Burn for the rest of the season.
. The team bought Nhleko in the 2004 offseason for a nominal fee, and he played a larger role in the team's 2004 offense. Appearing either as a substitute for Jason Kreis
or a starter with Eddie Johnson, Nhleko played in 23 games for Dallas in 2004, 13 of them starts, while scoring six goals and two assists. He left the team after the season, coming back to the Cosmos.
in January 2005 but his stay was short lived as he moved back Europe.Where he was signed by Roy Hodgson
.
to play for Viking F.K.
.He helped Vikings by scoring to beat Monaco
and Slavia Prague in the 2005 Uefa cup.
IF. In August 2007 he was loaned out to Sandefjord Fotball
until November 2007. He returned to Jomo Cosmos
proved to be fruitless.He failed to score a single league goal in a team who weer struggling to find goals to fight off relegation.He did however score a cup goal in a 1–0 win over Golden Arrows
in a Ned bank Cup Last 32 Round match.
relegation from the Premier Soccer League during the 2007/08 season, Nhleko signed for Thanda Royal Zulu
on a Bosman free transfer.
, playing in the 2004 African Nations Cup.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n soccer striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
who currently is plays as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
for Kaizer Chiefs:
Club career
Nhleko is stocky built striker known for his pace and ability to hold up the ball and turn defenders not so much for his goal scoring exploits.Jomo Cosmos
Nhleko began his professional career with South Afircan club Jomo CosmosJomo Cosmos
Jomo Cosmos is a South African football club based in Johannesburg that plays in the Premier Soccer League. The club is owned and coached by South African soccer legend Jomo "Black Prince" Sono....
, for whom he played from 1998 to 2002.
S.K. Brann
In 2002, Nhleko moved to S.K. BrannS.K. Brann
SK Brann is a Norwegian football club, founded September 26, 1908, from Bergen. Brann has been in the Norwegian Premier League Tippeligaen since 1987 and play their home matches at Brann Stadion where they had a record-breaking 17,310 in average attendance in the 2007 season...
of Norway
Norwegian Premier League
Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
; although he appeared in 20 games, including two UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
matches, Nhleko had trouble adjusting to the climate and environment at Brann, and during the summer of 2003, was loaned to Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
's Dallas Burn for the rest of the season.
F.C. Dallas
Nhleko performed well in 11 games with the Burn, showing strength and power possessed by few MLS forwards, registering two goals and four assists while teaming well with Eddie JohnsonEddie Johnson (American soccer player)
Edward "Eddie" Johnson is an American soccer player who is currently out of contract. He also plays for the United States national team, although he has not been called up since 2010.-Beginning of career and Dallas:...
. The team bought Nhleko in the 2004 offseason for a nominal fee, and he played a larger role in the team's 2004 offense. Appearing either as a substitute for Jason Kreis
Jason Kreis
Jason Clarence Kreis is an American soccer coach and former player. He is currently the head coach of Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer....
or a starter with Eddie Johnson, Nhleko played in 23 games for Dallas in 2004, 13 of them starts, while scoring six goals and two assists. He left the team after the season, coming back to the Cosmos.
Jomo Cosmos
He arrived for his second spell at Jomo CosmosJomo Cosmos
Jomo Cosmos is a South African football club based in Johannesburg that plays in the Premier Soccer League. The club is owned and coached by South African soccer legend Jomo "Black Prince" Sono....
in January 2005 but his stay was short lived as he moved back Europe.Where he was signed by Roy Hodgson
Roy Hodgson
Roy Hodgson is a former English footballer and current head coach of West Bromwich Albion.Hodgson, who has managed sixteen different teams in eight countries, guided the Switzerland national team to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup and qualification for Euro 1996; Switzerland had not qualified...
.
Viking F.K.
In July 2005, Nhleko returned to NorwayNorwegian Premier League
Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
to play for Viking F.K.
Viking F.K.
Viking Fotballklubb is a Norwegian football club from the city of Stavanger. The club was founded in 1899 as football was becoming increasingly popular...
.He helped Vikings by scoring to beat Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
and Slavia Prague in the 2005 Uefa cup.
Hammarby IF
In August 2006 he was sold to Swedish club HammarbyHammarby
Hammarby is a locality situated in Sandviken Municipality, Gävleborg County, Sweden with 550 inhabitants in 2005....
IF. In August 2007 he was loaned out to Sandefjord Fotball
Sandefjord Fotball
Sandefjord Fotball is a Norwegian professional football club, founded on September 10, 1998. The club plays in the Adeccoligaen. Their home ground is the Komplett.no Arena, located in Sandefjord, Vestfold....
until November 2007. He returned to Jomo Cosmos
Jomo Cosmos
Jomo Cosmos is a South African football club based in Johannesburg that plays in the Premier Soccer League. The club is owned and coached by South African soccer legend Jomo "Black Prince" Sono....
Jomo Cosmos
His third stint at Jomo CosmosJomo Cosmos
Jomo Cosmos is a South African football club based in Johannesburg that plays in the Premier Soccer League. The club is owned and coached by South African soccer legend Jomo "Black Prince" Sono....
proved to be fruitless.He failed to score a single league goal in a team who weer struggling to find goals to fight off relegation.He did however score a cup goal in a 1–0 win over Golden Arrows
Golden Arrows
Golden Arrows are a South African football club based in Durban that participates in the Premier Soccer League.-History:Originally founded in 1943 in the dusty streets of Lamontville, a township in Durban, the club played in the defunct National Professional Soccer League in the 1970s until they...
in a Ned bank Cup Last 32 Round match.
Thanda Royal Zulu
After Jomo CosmosJomo Cosmos
Jomo Cosmos is a South African football club based in Johannesburg that plays in the Premier Soccer League. The club is owned and coached by South African soccer legend Jomo "Black Prince" Sono....
relegation from the Premier Soccer League during the 2007/08 season, Nhleko signed for Thanda Royal Zulu
Thanda Royal Zulu
Thanda Royal Zulu is a South African football club based in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal that currently plays in the National First Division.-History:...
on a Bosman free transfer.
International career
Nhleko has made ten appearances scoring one goal for the South African national teamSouth Africa national football team
The South Africa national football team represents South Africa in association football and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. South Africa's home ground is Soccer City, known as FNB Stadium due to a naming rights deal, in...
, playing in the 2004 African Nations Cup.
International Goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2001-04-29 | Maputo Maputo Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its... , Mozambique Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest... |
2–0 | 3–0 | COSAFA Cup COSAFA Cup The COSAFA Senior Challenge is an annual tournament for teams from Southern Africa organized by COSAFA, inaugurated after the ban against the Republic of South Africa had been lifted and the African Cup of Nations had been staged there in 1996... |