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Lucky Mkosana

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE international forward Lucky Mkosana has signed a one-year deal with Finnish champions IFK Mariehamns, moving from iconic United States football franchise New York Cosmos.

The 29-year-old dreadlocked player, who was in the country last month, agreed terms with the Finnish champions last Friday and, according to media, has an option to extend the deal by a year.

Mkosana, an attacking player, helped New York Cosmos lift last season’s North American National Soccer League championship. New York Cosmos is former home to Brazilian legend Pele, widely considered as the greatest footballer of all time.

The Cosmos might be playing in the NASL, the second-tier professional league in football in the United States, but it’s a very powerful and popular franchise, steeped in the history of popularising the game in America at a time, in the 70s, when the game was losing its appeal in that country and considered a dying sport.

An elated Mkosana announced the news of his move to Finland on his Instagram account.

“Honoured to join such a historic club @ifkmariehamns and thanks to the management for giving me this opportunity and believing in me. To everyone who has helped and supported me throughout this process, I’m forever grateful and can’t thank you enough for all your tremendous efforts,” wrote Mkosana.

The forward will wear jersey number 77 at IFK Mariehamns, the same number he wore at New York Cosmos.

IFK Mariehamns will play in the 2018 Uefa Champions League qualifiers later this year, giving Mkosana an opportunity to rub shoulders with some of Europe’s big players.

Commenting on Mkosana’s move, IFK Mariehamns’ sporting director Peter Mattsson said: “We have scouted Mkosana and brought in a number of references to him from our close contacts in the US and this is a player we believe will strengthen the IFK in a good way. Mkosana is their style of strong, fast, and generally difficult to meet for the opponents. He’s overall quite complete and a humble and positive person even outside the pitch.”

Mkosana joined the New York Cosmos before the start of the 2015 season after spending time with the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Before making his NASL debut, he played for the United Soccer League (USL)’s Harrisburg City Islanders and the Professional Development League’s Michigan Bucks.

His career, however, started at Dartmouth College, where he was named the 2011 Ivy League Player of the Year and made All-Ivy League First Team from 2008 to 2011.

Mkosana was selected by the Chicago Fire in the second round of the 2012 Major League Soccer SuperDraft, but never signed for them, opting instead to join the Harrisburg City Islanders.

He scored 20 goals and tallied four assists in 41 games for the USL Pro club.

In the 2013 season, Mkosana tied a club single-season record with 13 goals, and ended his stint at Harrisburg tied for third place on the franchise’s all-time scoring list.

@ZililoR