Enock Mwepu
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Enock Mwepu[1] | ||
Date of birth | 1 January 1998 | ||
Place of birth | Lusaka, Zambia | ||
Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Brighton & Hove Albion | ||
Number | 12 | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2016–2017 | NAPSA Stars | ||
2017 | Kafue Celtic | ||
2017–2021 | Red Bull Salzburg | 72 | (9) |
2017–2018 | → Liefering (loan) | 23 | (6) |
2021– | Brighton & Hove Albion | 17 | (2) |
International career‡ | |||
Zambia U17 | |||
2017–2018 | Zambia U20 | 10 | (3) |
2017– | Zambia[2] | 21 | (5) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:27, 30 April 2022 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13:18, 27 March 2022 (UTC) |
Enock Mwepu (born 1 January 1998) is a Zambian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion and the Zambia national team.[3]
Club career
Early career
Mwepu's career began with Kafue Celtic in Lusaka before being identified with the 2013 Airtel Rising Stars.
During the 2015–16 season, Mwepu had little game time with Power Dynamos football club of Copperbelt; this precipitated into a move to NAPSA Stars at the end of the 2016 season.
In June 2017, Mwepu joined Red Bull Salzburg and was loaned out to Salzburg's feeder club Liefering who play in Austrian Football First League.[3]
During the 2019–20 season, Mwepu established himself amongst Salzburg's starting eleven. He made his debut in the UEFA Champions League during a 4–3 loss to Liverpool at Anfield.[4]
On 18 December 2019, Mwepu extended his contract with Salzburg until summer 2024.[5]
Brighton & Hove Albion
On 6 July 2021, he joined Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion on a four-year contract, for an undisclosed fee.[6] He scored in a 3–1 pre-season friendly win at Luton Town on 31 July.[7] He made his competitive Albion debut on 14 August in the opening game of the 2021–22 season away at Burnley where he was replaced by Adam Lallana at half time of the eventual 2–1 victory at Turf Moor.[8] He made his home debut on 21 August coming on as a substitute in the 2–0 victory over Watford in the second game of the season.[9] On 24 August, Mwepu assisted Jakub Moder's first Albion goal in the second round EFL Cup away fixture at Cardiff City where Albion won 2–0.[10] He scored his first goal for The Seagulls on 27 October, putting them back level to 2–2 in an eventual penalty shootout loss – in which his penalty was saved – away at Leicester City in the EFL Cup.[11] Three days later, he scored his first league goal for the Sussex side, inspiring Brighton's come back in an eventual 2–2 away draw against Liverpool.[12] Mwepu assisted Leandro Trossard's opener in the Boxing Day fixture at home against Brentford, where his long range pass from the half way line found Trossard who volleyed and lobbed the keeper in the eventual 2–0 victory.[13] Mwepu had a slow start to 2022 and in general to his time in Sussex due to injury and illness, thus had limited playing time.[14] On his first start since his return from injury Mwepu scored and made a fine assist for Trossard's opener in the 2–1 away win at Arsenal to help Brighton end their seven match run without a victory.[15]
International career
In 2014 Mwepu was part of the national under-17 team that represented the country at the 2015 African U-17 Championship, where Zambia played Niger, Nigeria and Guinea from group A.[16] Mwepu is known for his versatility in the field of play as demonstrated at the 2017 Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Zambia,[17] where he scored a goal and was among the best substitutes of the tournament.[18]
Mwepu scored his first international goal for Zambia in an AFCON Qualifier against Algeria on 2 September 2017 at the National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka, a match which Zambia won 3–1.
Personal life
His younger brother Francisco Mwepu is also a professional footballer.[19]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 30 April 2022[20]
Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Red Bull Salzburg | 2017–18 | Austrian Bundesliga | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | |
2018–19 | Austrian Bundesliga | 19 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 6[a] | 0 | 28 | 2 | ||
2019–20 | Austrian Bundesliga | 25 | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | 7[b] | 0 | 36 | 5 | ||
2020–21 | Austrian Bundesliga | 29 | 5 | 6 | 5 | — | 10[c] | 0 | 45 | 10 | ||
Total | 81 | 11 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 119 | 18 | ||
Brighton & Hove Albion | 2021–22 | Premier League | 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 20 | 3 | |
Career total | 98 | 13 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 139 | 21 |
- ^ One appearance in UEFA Champions League, five in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Five appearances in UEFA Champions League, two in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Eight appearances in UEFA Champions League, two in UEFA Europa League
International goals
- Scores and results list Zambia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Mwepu goal.[21]
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 September 2017 | National Heroes Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia | Algeria | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
2 | 16 June 2019 | Stade de Marrakech, Marrakesh, Morocco | Morocco | 3–2 | 3–2 | Friendly |
3 | 12 November 2020 | National Heroes Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia | Botswana | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
4 | 3 September 2021 | Stade Olympique, Nouakchott, Mauritania | Mauritania | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
5 | 25 March 2022 | Kervansaray Sport Centre - Field 1, Antalya, Turkey | Congo | 1–0 | 3–1 | Friendly |
Honours
Red Bull Salzburg[21]
Zambia U20[21]
References
- ^ "2021/22 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League. 10 September 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
- ^ "Enock Mwepu". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
- ^ a b "Zambia U20 star Mwepu joins Austria's Salzburg". BBC Sport. 22 June 2017.
- ^ Salzburg, Andy Hunter at the Stadion (10 December 2019). "Liverpool reach last 16 after Naby Keïta and Mo Salah douse Salzburg's fire". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
- ^ "DAKA, MWEPU AND KOITA EXTEND UNTIL 2024". redbullsalzburg.at. FC Red Bull Salzburg. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
- ^ "Mwepu joins Albion from Red Bull Salzburg". www.brightonandhovealbion.com. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ "Albion claim first win of pre-season at Luton - Brighton & Hove Albion". Brighton & Hove Albion. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
- ^ "Burnley 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion: Substitute Alexis Mac Allister seals comeback win - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 14 August 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "Brighton & Hove Albion: 2-0 Watford: Brighton make best start to a top-flight campaign - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 21 August 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ "Cardiff City 0-2 Brighton & Hove Albion: Seagulls into Carabao Cup third round - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- ^ "Leicester City 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion: Foxes win 4-2 on penalties - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 27 October 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
- ^ "Liverpool 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion: Reds held after stirring Brighton fightback - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ "Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 Brentford: Trossard lob helps Seagulls end winless run - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 26 December 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
- ^ "'I feel for him' - Graham Potter lifts lid on Enock Mwepu's injury woes and talks return goals - SussexLive". SussexLive. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
- ^ "Arsenal 1-2 Brighton: Gunners boss Mikel Arteta 'concerned' by performance in home defeat - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 9 April 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
- ^ "Under-17 coach unveils provisional squad". Retrieved 21 March 2017.
- ^ "Player Enock Mwepu". Zedsoccer. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
- ^ "Zambia dominates CAF Best XI". Fazfootball. Archived from the original on 14 July 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
- ^ "Im Geburtstalk: Francisco Mwepu". sksturm.at. SK Sturm Graz. 1 March 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ Enock Mwepu at Soccerway. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- ^ a b c "E. Mwepu". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
- ^ "FULLTIME – COSAFA U20: South Africa 1 Zambia 2 – Final". Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- 1998 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Lusaka
- Zambian footballers
- Zambia youth international footballers
- Zambia under-20 international footballers
- Zambia international footballers
- Association football midfielders
- NAPSA Stars F.C. players
- FC Red Bull Salzburg players
- FC Liefering players
- Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. players
- Premier League players
- 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations players
- Zambian expatriate footballers
- Expatriate footballers in Austria
- Expatriate footballers in England
- Zambian expatriate sportspeople in Austria
- Zambian expatriate sportspeople in England