Toni Nhleko
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Nkosinathi Nhleko | ||
Date of birth | 24 July 1979 | ||
Place of birth | Ermelo, South Africa | ||
Height | 1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in) | ||
Position(s) | Striker | ||
Youth career | |||
School of Excellence | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1998–2002 | Jomo Cosmos | 60 | (26) |
2002–2003 | Brann | 15 | (2) |
2003–2004 | →F.C. Dallas | 11 | (2) |
2004–2005 | F.C. Dallas | 22 | (5) |
2005 | Jomo Cosmos | 11 | (3) |
2005–2006 | Viking | 26 | (8) |
2006–2007 | Hammarby IF | 12 | (0) |
2007 | →Sandefjord | 7 | (1) |
2007–2008 | Jomo Cosmos | 11 | (1) |
2008–2009 | Thanda Royal Zulu | 28 | (8) |
2009–2011 | Kaizer Chiefs | 29 | (6) |
2012–2013 | Antaliay FC | 9 | (11) |
International career | |||
2002–2005 | South Africa | 10 | (1) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Nkosinathi Nhleko (born 24 July 1979, in Ermelo) is a retired South African soccer player who last played as a striker for Kaizer Chiefs and Retired at Antaliay Football Club (Turkey Football League)
Nhleko was a 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.
Club career
[edit]Nhleko began his professional career with South African club Jomo Cosmos, for whom he played from 1998 to 2002.
In 2002, Nhleko moved to Brann 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.
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 Johnson. 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.
He arrived for his second spell at Jomo Cosmos in January 2005 but his stay was short lived as he moved back to Europe, where he was signed by Roy Hodgson.
In July 2005, Nhleko returned to Norway to play for Viking. He helped Viking by scoring to beat AS Monaco and Slavia Prague in the 2005 Uefa cup.
In August 2006 he was sold to Swedish club Hammarby IF.[1] In August 2007 he was loaned out to Sandefjord until November 2007. He returned to Jomo Cosmos.
His third stint at Jomo Cosmos proved to be fruitless. He failed to score a single league goal in a team who were 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 Nedbank Cup Last 32 Round match.
After Jomo Cosmos relegation from the Premier Soccer League during the 2007/08 season, Nhleko signed for Thanda Royal Zulu on a Bosman free transfer.
International career
[edit]Nhleko has made ten appearances scoring one goal for the South African national team, playing in the 2004 African Nations Cup.
International Goals
[edit]# | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2001-04-29 | Maputo, Mozambique | Mozambique | 2–0 | 3–0 | COSAFA Cup |
References
[edit]- ^ Larsen, Jan-erik (15 August 2006). "2,5 millioner for Nhleko". Bergens Tidende (in Norwegian). Retrieved 14 November 2024.
External links
[edit]- Toni Nhleko at National-Football-Teams.com
- 1979 births
- Living people
- People from Ermelo, Mpumalanga
- South African men's soccer players
- South Africa men's international soccer players
- Jomo Cosmos F.C. players
- SK Brann players
- FC Dallas players
- Viking FK players
- Hammarby Fotboll players
- Sandefjord Fotball players
- Kaizer Chiefs F.C. players
- Thanda Royal Zulu F.C. players
- South African Premier Division players
- Eliteserien players
- Allsvenskan players
- Major League Soccer players
- Olympic soccer players for South Africa
- Footballers at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- 2004 African Cup of Nations players
- 2006 Africa Cup of Nations players
- South African expatriate men's soccer players
- Expatriate men's footballers in Norway
- Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
- Expatriate men's footballers in Sweden
- South African expatriate sportspeople in Norway
- South African expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- South African expatriate sportspeople in Sweden
- Men's association football forwards