Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube [email protected]
FORMER Zimbabwe Saints and Rhodesia national team goalkeeper Adam Maseko, who died in Bulawayo on Friday at the age of 74, was laid to rest in the city on Tuesday.
Maseko, one of Zimbabwe Saints’ finest goalkeepers, died at his home in Mzilikazi’s L Square suburb.
His younger sister, Florence Gumede (née Maseko), said he was found lifeless by a friend who had come to collect him after he declined to accompany him earlier that morning.
“My brother refused to go with his friend to Manwele, where he usually spent most of his time on Friday morning, instead requesting that he be picked up later. When the friend returned, he found Maseko lying on the floor lifeless and advised neighbours before the police were called,” said Gumede.
During his distinguished playing career, Maseko featured for Zimbabwe Saints alongside some of the club’s greatest players, including William Sibanda, Max Tshuma, Ebson “Sugar” Muguyo, Francis Ngara, Simon Supiya, Emmanuel Sibanda, Moses “Madalaboy” Moyo and Aleck Mwanza.
One of the highlights of his career came in 1970 when, at just 17 years old, he was selected for the Rhodesia national team that narrowly missed qualification for the FIFA World Cup after losing to Australia in the final qualifying hurdle. The youthful goalkeeper shared the dressing room with some of the era’s greatest footballers, among them Shepherd Murape, Shadreck Ngwenya, Philemon Tigere, Bobby Chalmers, Isaac Chieza, Itai Chieza and James Nxumalo.
At club level, Maseko played a key role in Zimbabwe Saints’ historic BAT Rosebowl triumph in 1974, the club’s first major national title.
He left Zimbabwe Saints the following year for Kadoma after securing employment there, where he continued to contribute to football as a part-time coach. In early 1978, he joined Kambasha Brothers (KB) Rockets of Kwekwe in search of more competitive football.
However, his playing career was tragically cut short when he was involved in a road traffic accident that resulted in the amputation of one of his legs, forcing him to return to Bulawayo.
Several football legends attended his funeral, among them Gibson Homela, Godfrey Paradza and former teammate Ebson Muguyo.
Homela paid tribute to Maseko, describing him as one of the most dependable goalkeepers of his generation.
“Many thought I was a striker because I would overlap from defence and score many goals. I could do that because Adam was so reliable in goal,” said Homela.
Maseko’s death marks the passing of another member of a golden generation of Zimbabwe Saints players whose exploits helped shape the country’s football history.
