Enock Mwepu: Difference between revisions

Having begun his career in his native Zambia, Mwepu signed for Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg in 2017<ref name="salzburg bbc">{{cite news |title=Zambia U20 star Mwepu joins Austria's Salzburg |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/40368397 |work=BBC Sport |date=22 June 2017}}</ref> before moving to join Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion in 2021. Mwepu represented and captained the [[Zambia national football team|Zambia national team]]. On October 10 2022, he was forced to retire following the discovery of a hereditary heart condition.<ref name="Retirement"./>

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.<ref name="salzburg bbc" /> 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.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/dec/10/rb-salzburg-liverpool-champions-league-match-report|title=Liverpool reach last 16 after Naby Keïta and Mo Salah douse Salzburg's fire|last=Salzburg|first=Andy Hunter at the Stadion|date=10 December 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=13 December 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> On 18 December 2019, Mwepu extended his contract with Salzburg until summer 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=DAKA, MWEPU AND KOITA EXTEND UNTIL 2024 |url=https://www.redbullsalzburg.at/en/fc-red-bull-salzburg/news/saison_2019_20/3-till-2024.html |website=redbullsalzburg.at |publisher=FC Red Bull Salzburg |access-date=19 December 2019 |date=18 December 2019}}</ref>

On 6 July 2021, he joined Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion on a four-year contract, for an undisclosed fee.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mwepu joins Albion from Red Bull Salzburg|url=https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2184726/mwepu-joins-albion-from-red-bull-salzburg|access-date=6 July 2021|date=6 July 2021|website=www.brightonandhovealbion.com|language=en}}</ref> He scored in a 3–1 pre-season friendly win at Luton Town on 31 July.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2203070/albion-claim-first-win-of-pre-season-at-luton/|title=Albion claim first win of pre-season at Luton - Brighton & Hove Albion |publisher=Brighton & Hove Albion|access-date=8 August 2021}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58124895|title=Burnley 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion: Substitute Alexis Mac Allister seals comeback win - BBC Sport |publisher=BBC Sport|date=14 August 2021|access-date=14 August 2021}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58239552|title=Cardiff City 0-2 Brighton & Hove Albion: Seagulls into Carabao Cup third round - BBC Sport|publisher=BBC Sport |date=24 August 2021 |access-date=24 August 2021}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58976543|title=Leicester City 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion: Foxes win 4-2 on penalties - BBC Sport|publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 October 2021 |access-date=27 October 2021}}</ref> Three days later, he scored his first league goal for the Sussex side, inspiring Brighton's come back with a stunning 25–yard strike in an eventual 2–2 away draw against Liverpool.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59019334|title=Liverpool 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion: Reds held after stirring Brighton fightback - BBC Sport|publisher=BBC Sport |date=30 October 2021 |access-date=30 October 2021}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.sussexlive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/graham-potter-enock-mwepu-injury-6748739|title= 'I feel for him' - Graham Potter lifts lid on Enock Mwepu's injury woes and talks return goals - SussexLive|publisher=SussexLive|date=3 March 2022|access-date=9 April 2022}}</ref> On his first start since his return from injury Mwepu scored and made an assist for Trossard's opener in the 2–1 away win at Arsenal on 9 April, to help Brighton end their seven match run without a victory.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60963800|title= Arsenal 1-2 Brighton: Gunners boss Mikel Arteta 'concerned' by performance in home defeat - BBC Sport|publisher=BBC Sport|date=9 April 2022|access-date=9 April 2022}}</ref> Graham Potter spoke that Mwepu has a "slight injury in his groin which probably means that will be him for the rest of the season," after picking up the knock during the 3–0 away victory at Wolves on 30 April.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61198623|title= Wolves 0-3 Brighton: Mac Allister, Trossard and Bissouma earn excellent away win - BBC Sport|publisher= BBC Sport|date=30 April 2022|access-date=10 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/20117272.brightons-enock-mwepu-expected-miss-rest-season/|title= Brighton's Enock Mwepu expected to miss rest of season - The Argus|publisher=The Argus|date=5 May 2022|access-date=10 May 2022}}</ref> His debut season with ''The Seagulls'' was marred by injuries though he had made a positive impact and at the club's end of season awards Mwepu won Goal of the Season for his strike at Liverpool in October.<ref name="Awards">{{cite news|url=https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2612006/cucurella-at-the-double-at-players-awards|title=Cucurella at the double at Players' Awards

|publisher= Brighton & Hove Albion|date=9 May 2022|access-date=10 May 2022}}</ref> Mwepu managed to recover in time to appear as a substitute in the last game of the season, a 3–1 home victory over West Ham, with Brighton achieving their highest top flight finish in ninth place.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61453547|title=Brighton 3-1 West Ham: David Moyes' side must settle for Europa Conference League|publisher=BBC Sport Sport|date=22 May 2022|access-date=22 May 2022}}</ref>

In 2014 Mwepu was part of the [[Zambia national under-17 football team|Zambia 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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Under-17 coach unveils provisional squad|url=https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/?p=16247|access-date=21 March 2017}}</ref> Mwepu is known for his versatility in the field of play as demonstrated at the 2017 Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Zambia,<ref>{{cite web|title=Player Enock Mwepu|url=https://www.zedsoccer.com/player/enock-mwepu/|website=Zedsoccer|access-date=21 March 2017}}</ref> where he scored a goal and was among the best substitutes of the tournament.<ref>{{cite web|title=Zambia dominates CAF Best XI|url=http://fazfootball.com/news/article/170314/Zambia_dominates_CAF_Best_XI|website=Fazfootball|access-date=21 March 2017|archive-date=14 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170714014724/http://fazfootball.com/news/article/170314/Zambia_dominates_CAF_Best_XI|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Mwepu scored his first international goal for [[Zambia national football team|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.{{Cn|date=October 2022}}

|FC Liefering

|2017–18

|2. Liga