Football legends and hundreds of other mourners yesterday escorted former international goalkeeper Boniface Maganga as he walked his last mile on earth.

President Lazarus Chakwera has since paid his tribute and described him as one of the country’s greatest footballers.

Former football players carry the coffin of the late Maganga at Kamuzu Stadium

Maganga was laid to rest yesterday at Misesa Cemetery in Blantyre after hundreds of the football fraternity, including Minister of Youthand Sports Uchizi Mkandawire, Malawi National Council of Sports board chairperson Sunduzwayo Madise, football legends Kinnah Phiri, Young Chimodzi paid their last respects at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.

In a statement released yesterday the said Maganga, who died on Sunday at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre at the age of 67 after a long illness, contributed immensely to the development of football.

The statement reads in part: “The first lady and I are saddened by the passing of Boniface Maganga, Malawi’s legend goalkeeper who played for the Malawi national football team and several clubs.”

Chakwera said the former Mighty Mukuru Wanderers and Flames goalkeeper’s death had left a gap in the sport.

Speaking on behalf of Maganga’s former teammates, Kinnah said he was a good goalkeeper.

“Boniface Maganga was a good goalkeeper. I remember that he used to save us [Flames] by saving penalties. While were scoring goals, we also needed a good goalkeeper such as Boniface Maganga,” he said.

In his tribute, United Kingdom-based historian and writer Mario Antonio, who authored the book A History of Nyasaland and Malawi Football Volume One 1935 to 1969, said Maganga is one of a few players to have achieved over half a century caps for his country.

He said: “What can we say about this great custodian who was one of the 50 players to have achieved over half a century cap for his country. In fact his total of 61 caps places him in the top 40 Malawi appearances (38th place) since he last played in 1980, which was 43 years ago, a really great achievement.

“Boniface made his Malawi debut against Kenya (0-1) on 25 October 1972 in Lilongwe at the very tender age of 17 years and 47 days. Earlier in the month of August, he featured for Malawi Schools in a narrow defeat against Zambia Schools (2-3), when he came in as a substitute replacing Kelston Kumwembe.

“Under coach Ted Powell, he was part of the squad that travelled to England in both 1978 and 1979. In the same years the Flames won the East and Central Africa Senior Challenge Cup against Zambia and Kenya respectively. “Maganga’s 61 caps places him third in the goalkeepers appearances behind John Dzimbiri’s 83 caps and Swadick Sanudi’s 63 caps. He is also third on clean sheets with 23 to his name and trails John Dzimbiri’s 26 and Donnex Gondwe with 25.”

The post  Legends, others see off Maganga first appeared on The Nation Online.