View source for David Chabala

{{short description|Zambian footballer (1960-1993)}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name        = Efford Chabala
| image       = Efford Chabala.jpg
| image_size  = 200px
| caption     = Chabala in 1990
| fullname    = David Efford Chabala
| birth_date  = 28 January 1960
| birth_place = [[Mufulira]], [[Northern Rhodesia]]
| death_date  = {{death date and age|df=yes|1993|4|27|1960|2|2}}
| death_place = Atlantic Ocean, off [[Gabon]]
| height      = {{height|ft=5|in=11}}
| position    = Goalkeeper, Striker
| youthyears1 = 1975–1977
| youthclubs1 = Lubuto Amateur Football Club
| years1      = 1978–1991
| clubs1      = [[Mufulira Wanderers FC|Mufulira Wanderers]]
| caps1       = 643
| goals1      = 0
| years2      = 1991–1992
| clubs2      = [[Argentinos Juniors]]
| caps2       =
| goals2      =
| years3      = 1992–1993
| clubs3      = [[Mufulira Wanderers FC|Mufulira Wanderers]]
| caps3       =
| goals3      =
| totalcaps   =
| totalgoals  =
| nationalyears1 = 1983–1993
| nationalteam1  = [[Zambia national football team|Zambia]]<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/dchabala-intl.html David Efford Chabala – Century of International Appearances]</ref>
| nationalcaps1  = 115
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| medaltemplates =
}}
'''David Efford Chabala''' (2 February 1960 &ndash; 27 April 1993), popularly known as '''Efford Chabala''' was [[Zambia national football team|Zambia]]'s first choice goalkeeper from 1983 until his death in a [[1993 Zambia national football team plane crash|plane crash off the Gabonese coast in 1993]] and is one of Zambia's most capped players, with 108 full international appearances.<ref>Muchimba, Jerry (9 November 2012) "Zambia National Team Appearance and Scoring Records" ''Zamfoot'' http://www.zambianfootball.co.zm/?p=2050 (retrieved 23 November 2012)</ref> Chabala was instrumental in Zambia's first ever [[CECAFA Cup|East and Central African Championship]] success when he saved three penalties in Zambia's 3–0 shoot-out victory over [[Malawi national football team|Malawi]] in the 1984 final in [[Uganda]] after a goalless draw at full-time. He was named Zambia's Sportsman of the Year in 1985.

==Playing career==
Chabala was born in [[Mufulira]] where his father was a miner, the fourth born in a family of 12. He started out as a striker and played for Lubuto Amateur Club in Mufulira where his career in goal started by accident at the age of 17. During a practice session, the regular goalkeeper was absent so Chabala was forced to man the posts by his colleagues. He reluctantly agreed but played so well and enjoyed playing in goal that he decided to make the switch permanent.<ref name=alertness>Ngoma, Samuel "Alertness vital, says top keeper" ''Sunday Times of Zambia'', 7 February 1988, p.10</ref>

In no time, he was recruited as [[Mufulira Wanderers F.C.|Mufulira Wanderers]]' reserve goalkeeper by coaches [[Samuel Ndhlovu]] and [[Dickson Makwaza]]. He soon succeeded Bernard Kabwe in the first team, making his debut on 27 July 1980 in a league encounter against Lusaka Tigers at [[Shinde Stadium]] in Mufulira. With Wanderers trailing 2–0 at half-time, Chabala replaced Kabwe and the 'Mighty' men went on to win the match 3–2.<ref name=alertness/>

Chabala played in goal for the Wanderers side which also featured other top players like [[Ashols Melu]], [[Kalusha Bwalya]], Frederick Kashimoto, brothers Philemon Kaunda and Philemon Mulala, and later [[Charly Musonda (footballer, born 1969)|Charles Musonda]] and [[Johnson Bwalya]]. This Wanderers side dominated Zambian cup competitions during the eighties and early nineties, earning the tag 'legendary cup fighters.' However, Wanderers never won the Zambian league championship during this period.

He was voted Zambian Sportsman of the Year in 1985 and in the 1988 season, he surprised many Zambian soccer purists by donning a striker's jersey for Wanderers, but he went on to score five goals, including the third goal when Wanderers beat Roan United 3–0 in the Independence Cup final in October.<ref>Sakala, Davey "Wanderers toast over 'Uhuru' Cup" Times of Zambia, 24 October 1988, p.14</ref> He thus followed in the footsteps of another great Wanderers goalkeeper Abraham Nkole, who scored a hat-trick in the final of the same competition in 1971.<ref>Mulenga, Alfred "Hail Wanderers" ''Times of Zambia,'' 11 October 1971, p.10</ref> Chabala reverted to goalkeeping but reprised his striker's role again in the 1990 season for a few more games after which he went back between the posts.

He had a brief spell in [[Argentina]] with [[Argentinos Juniors]] during the 1991/92 season but he returned to Wanderers in March 1992 claiming the conditions of his contract were unsatisfactory, and the club were not willing to change them.<ref>Hernández, Sergio and Storni, Luis Carlos (9 June 2008). "African and Asian Players in Argentina 1st Level". RSSSF. https://www.rsssf.org/players/afr-players-in-arg.html</ref><ref>Anon. "Chabala nullifies Argies pact" ''Times of Zambia'', 25 February 1992, p.10</ref>

In December 1992, Chabala was substituted in the Independence Cup final against Nkana Red Devils after he conceded three goals when Wanderers were leading 2–0 but went on to lose 3–2. He was disillusioned by stories that he was unhappy at the appointment of Ashols Melu as Wanderers assistant coach and therefore sold the game. Both Melu and Chabala denied any rift between them, saying they were great friends and Chabala said he was just off-form on the day and his substitution came a bit too late.<ref>Chirwa, Dingi "Chabala, Melu at loggerheads?" ''The Weekly Post'' 11–17 December 1992, p20</ref><ref>Chirwa, Dingi "Melu’s my friend, insists Chabala" ''The Weekly Post'' 24–30 December 1992, p19</ref> He was left out of Wanderers’ next five matches but soon regained his position.

==National team==
Chabala's performances between the posts for Wanderers were noticed by national team selectors leading to his first appearance in national colours on 27 November 1980 for the Zambia ‘B’ team in a [[CECAFA|Council for East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA)]] Cup 3rd and 4th play-off game against [[Malawi national football team|Malawi]] which Zambia lost 1–0.

However, his full international debut was to come on 10 April 1983 in a [[1984 African Cup of Nations qualification#First round|CAN]] qualifier against Sudan in Khartoum, which Zambia lost 2–1. From then on, Chabala was a permanent fixture in the Zambian goal for the better part of the next 10 years.

He led Zambia to the 1984 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup when he saved 3 penalties in the 3–0 penalty shoot-out win against Malawi after a goalless draw in normal time. Chabala was in goal for Zambia in their ill-fated attempt at winning the [[1986 African Cup of Nations|African Cup of Nations]] in 1986{link} where Zambia was knocked out in the group stages.

Chabala's heroics against Ghana in 1987 during an [[1988 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]] qualifier helped secure Zambia a slot at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. Zambia had won their home leg 2–0 and travelled to [[Accra]] with the home fans expecting their team to carry the day. Ghana attacked from the word go, throwing everything at the Zambians who despite conceding a first half goal by [[Tony Yeboah]], held on to qualify 2–1 on aggregate with man of the match Chabala pulling out all the stops, including saving a penalty from Emmanuel Quarshie.

After the game, the Ghanaian goalkeeper ran over to Chabala and asked him what his secret was and Chabala's bemba reply became legendary in Zambian football circles – "Kuiposafye (You just have to throw yourself)."<ref>Mwamba, Jay "Chabala asked for goalkeeping 'juju'" ''Zambia Daily Mail,'' 2 February 1988, p.8</ref>

At the Olympic Games, Zambia recorded some impressive results with Charles Musonda pulling the strings in midfield and Kalusha Bwalya in devastating form, drawing with Iraq 2–2 and brushing aside Italy and [[Guatemala]] by 4–0 scorelines to progress to the quarter finals. However, disaster struck in the quarter-final match against West Germany when Zambia was trounced 4–0, with [[Jürgen Klinsmann]] in fine form.

Despite that disappointment, many in Zambia believed the team finally had the quality players to make it to the 1990 World Cup in Italy. After winning all their home games, Zambia failed to get a result away from home and did not qualify for the World Cup.

Chabala made another appearance at the [[1990 African Cup of Nations]] where journalists voted him the best goalkeeper at the tournament, keeping four clean sheets in five games and helping Zambia to third place. His last appearance at the Nations Cup was in [[1992 African Cup of Nations|1992]] in Senegal where Zambia yet again underachieved, falling 1–0 to eventual winners [[Ivory Coast national football team|Ivory Coast]] in extra-time at the quarter-final stage.

On 20 December 1992, Zambia lost a World Cup Qualifier to [[Madagascar national football team|Madagascar]] 2–0, a result which put their qualification campaign in a precarious position. Chabala was consequently dropped from the team and he missed Zambia's next two qualification games. He however said he was not surprised by the action and charged that he was paying the price for expressing his opinion prior to the [[Football Association of Zambia]] elections that the leadership should not change hands, which did not go down well with new President Michael Mwape.<ref>Musunka, martin "Sacked goalie spills beans" ''Times of Zambia'', 6 January 1993 p.14</ref> Mwape in turn responded that Chabala was dropped after reports that he was on suspension at his club, relating to the Independence Cup final loss to Nkana. Wanderers clarified that Chabala had served a 5 match suspension which had lapsed long before the Madagascar game.<ref>Anon. "'Keeper Chabala now free to play" ''Sunday Times of Zambia'', 17 January 1993 p. 10</ref> After this, FAZ cleared him to play for Zambia again and he promptly got back his position in the national team from his deputy [[Richard Mwanza]].

==Death==
{{main|1993 Zambia national football team air disaster}}

On 27 February 1993, Zambia, needing a win to qualify to the group stages in the World Cup Qualifying campaign, swept aside Madagascar 3–1 in Lusaka. The Zambians were then drawn in the same group as Morocco and Senegal and many felt the time had come for Zambia to qualify to the World Cup as they had a very good team which had been together for a while, with coaching staff who seemed to inspire the team. On 10 April 1993, Zambia played out a goalless draw at home to [[Zimbabwe national football team|Zimbabwe]] in an African Nations Cup qualifier. Two weeks later, the Zambians crushed [[Mauritius national football team|Mauritius]] 3–0 in Port Louis with Chabala as captain and [[Kelvin Mutale]] grabbing a hat-trick.

From there, the team made its way to [[Senegal]] for the first of their World Cup qualifying games in the group stage. The team's transportation was a Zambia Airforce DHC-5D Buffalo plane. After refuelling in [[Libreville]], the plane developed problems and plunged into the sea on 27 April 1993 killing all 30 people on board including Football Association of Zambia president Michael Mwape and airforce crew members. The entire nation was in shock and the scale of the tragedy sank in when 30 coffins holding the remains of their beloved team were flown in for a state burial. The plane crash brought an end to the career of not only Chabala but almost a whole team of talented Zambian players and coaches.

Chabala was survived by two wives Joyce and Petronella Mwamba Mulenga  and six children, five from Joyce and one from Petronella (the son's name is Kalasa Efford David Chabala).

==Honours==
*Zambian Cup (Independence Cup/Mosi Cup): 1988, 1995
*Zambian Challenge Cup (Shell Challenge Cup/BP Challenge Cup/ BP Top Eight Cup): 1984, 1986, 1994, 1996, 1997
*Heroes and Unity Cup: 1985, 1987, 1988
*Champion of Champions Cup: 1985, 1988, 1992
*Charity Shield: 1992, 1993	

'''National Team'''
*CECAFA Cup: 1984
*MPLA trophy: 1986
*SADCC Cup: 1990

'''Individual Honours'''
*Zambian Sportsman of the Year: 1985

==See also==
* [[List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps]]

==References==
<References/>

==External links==
*[https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/eastcentrafr.html East and Central African Championship (CECAFA) Uganda, December 1984]
*{{NFT player|pid=24518}}

{{Navboxes
| title = Zambia squads
| bg        = #198900
| fg        = white
| bordercolor = #EF7D00
| list =
{{Zambia squad 1986 African Cup of Nations}}
{{Zambia football squad 1988 Summer Olympics}}
{{Zambia squad 1990 African Cup of Nations}}
{{Zambia squad 1992 African Cup of Nations}}
}}
{{1993 Zambia national football team air disaster}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chabala, David}}
[[Category:1960 births]]
[[Category:1993 deaths]]
[[Category:Footballers from Mufulira]]
[[Category:Zambian men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football goalkeepers]]
[[Category:Zambia men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Zambian expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Mufulira Wanderers F.C. players]]
[[Category:Argentinos Juniors footballers]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Argentina]]
[[Category:Olympic footballers for Zambia]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:1986 African Cup of Nations players]]
[[Category:1990 African Cup of Nations players]]
[[Category:1992 African Cup of Nations players]]
[[Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in Gabon]]
[[Category:Zambian expatriate sportspeople in Argentina]]
[[Category:FIFA Men's Century Club]]
[[Category:Footballers killed in the 1993 Zambia national football team plane crash]]