Zambian forward Emmanuel Mwiinde made an immediate impression on his FC Saint-Eloi Lupopo debut, scoring the opening goal in a 3-0 friendly victory over Maillet Football Academy.
Mwiinde found the breakthrough as coach Rashid Ghaflaoui’s side continued preparations following two weeks of intensive training.
Berdy Matukala doubled Lupopo’s advantage before Junior Baruti completed the scoring, giving the Congolese giants a comfortable victory in their latest assessment match.
The goal was particularly significant for Mwiinde, who scored in his first appearance since completing his move to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The deal came after Mwiinde’s recent spell with South African Premier Soccer League side Marumo Gallants. He had also previously played in Oman with Al Salam SC.
Mwiinde’s career has taken him across several countries and included a spell with Israeli side Maccabi Petah Tikva, where he was part of the team that won the league during the 2018/19 season. He scored eight goals in 16 matches in the Israeli National Youth Division.
Back in Zambia, the pacey forward featured for Buildcon and Nkana, helping the latter reach the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup. He also had spells with Sensational Zanaco and Young Buffaloes, where he played a key role in the club’s run to the 2018 Barclays Cup final.
His early career also included representation of Zambia at Under-20 level. Mwiinde scored once for the Young Copper Bullets at the 2018 COSAFA Under-20 Championship.
After further spells abroad with FC Hatta and Masafi in the United Arab Emirates, Mwiinde now has a fresh chapter to write with Lupopo.
And if his first outing is anything to go by, the Zambian forward has wasted little time in introducing himself to his new club.
The work continues, but Mwiinde already has his first Lupopo goal.
