Mkhokheli "Kheli" Dube (born 18 June 1983 in Bulawayo[1]) is a Zimbabwean footballer.
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mkhokheli Dube | ||
| Date of birth | 18 June 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Bulawayo, Zimbabwe | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2002 | Zimbabwe Saints | ||
| 2004–2005 | Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders | ||
| 2006–2007 | Coastal Carolina Chanticleers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003 | Highlanders | ||
| 2005 | Michigan Bucks | 16 | (10) |
| 2006 | Delaware Dynasty | 5 | (4) |
| 2006–2007 | Michigan Bucks | 25 | (15) |
| 2008–2011 | New England Revolution | 72 | (14) |
| 2012 | Chicago Fire | 0 | (0) |
| 2012 | AmaZulu | 5 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| Zimbabwe U-20 | |||
| Zimbabwe U-23 | |||
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 November 2012 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 3 April 2009 | |||
Career
editEarly career and college
editDube played in the youth system of his hometown team, [[Dunlop and played professionally for Two years in the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League for Highlanders before coming to the United States.
He played college soccer for Lindsey Wilson College during his freshman and sophomore seasons, scoring 36 goals and tallying 13 assists in 50 games. After his sophomore season, he transferred to Coastal Carolina University for his junior and senior seasons, where he scored 16 goals and had 12 assists in 26 games. He missed the first five weeks of his senior season with an injury, but still scored 11 goals. He is a two-time All-Big South performer and was a member of the 2006 Big South All-Tournament Team. He was also the 2007 Big South Conference Player of the Year and a NSCAA All-South Atlantic performer.He was Big South Conference player of the week a record four times in his senior season.
During his college years Dube also played with both Michigan Bucks and Delaware Dynasty of the USL Premier Development League, helping the Bucks reach the PDL championship game both in 2006 (when they also won the title) and 2007.
Professional
editDube was drafted 8th in the 2008 MLS Supplemental Draft by New England Revolution. He made his debut for the Revs on 29 March 2008 as an 81st-minute substitute for Kenny Mansally in their opening day victory over Houston Dynamo. While Dube was not initially expected to play a major role with the Revolution, a long-term injury to Taylor Twellman gave him an opportunity to start a number of games. He scored his first MLS goal in his first start on 17 May 2008,[2] and added several more goals in the following months, including the winning goal in the Revs' SuperLiga match against Santos Laguna. Dube was runner-up to Los Angeles Galaxy defender Sean Franklin for 2008 MLS Rookie of the Year.[3] Scored his first career hat trick on 08/23/09 against Real Salt Lake and was voted for his first player of the week award the same week.
At the end of the 2011 season, New England declined his 2012 contract option and Dube entered the 2011 MLS Re-Entry Draft. He was selected by Chicago Fire in stage two of the draft on 12 December 2011.[4] Dube signed with Chicago on 25 January 2012.[1] After spending a six-month term without making an appearance, on 7 August 2012, he joined South African Premier Soccer League side AmaZulu on a three-year deal.[5] In 2013 he joined Chicken Fc in Zimbabwe and won the Net One Charity Cup and after 2 and half years later, he moved to join Bulawayo City in 2016 where he captained the ambitious side under Philani 'Beffy" Ncube. Halfway through the 2017 season he made a move to FC Platinum where he won the Championship in 3 successive seasons 2017,2018 and 2019, also winning the Castle Challenge Cup twice in 2018 and 19. Recently returned to his boyhood club at Highlanders Fc for the 2020 season .
International
editDube has represented his country with the under 20 and under 23 national teams, but has yet to make his debut for the full Zimbabwe national football team.
Personal
editDube received his U.S. green card in 2010.[6]
Honors
editHighlanders FC
- PSL league: 2000, 2001, 2002
Lindsey Wilson
- NAIA National Championship: 2005
Michigan Bucks
New England Revolution
Chicken INN
- NetOne Charity Shield: 2013
FC Platinum
- Zimbabwean PSL Championship: 2017, 2018, 2019
- Castle Challenge Cup: 2017, 2018
References
edit- ^ a b "Fire sign Zimbabwean striker Kheli Dube". 25 January 2012.
- ^ "Major League Soccer: Match Tracker: Main". Archived from the original on 2 April 2008. Retrieved 30 March 2008.
- ^ "MLS announces finalists for 2008 awards". SBI Soccer. 30 October 2008. Archived from the original on 11 February 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ "Stage 2 of Re-Entry Draft highlighted by busy Galaxy". MLS. 12 December 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
- ^ "AmaZulu sign Zimbabwean striker". AmaZulu. official website. 7 August 2012.
- ^ "Revolution Update: February 18, 2010 | New England Revolution". Revolutionsoccer.net. 18 February 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2012.