Former Leeds striker Masinga dies aged 49

Phil Masinga, the former Leeds United striker, has died of cancer at the age of 49.

The South African played in the Premier League for two years after joining in 1994. His fellow countryman and Leeds team-mate, Lucas Radebe, said yesterday: “He lost his fight against cancer this morning which is very, very sad for us as a football fraternity. We are mourning the loss of a great legend.”

Masinga was signed by Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson and scored five times in 31 league appearances. He won 58 caps, helping South Africa lift the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil in 1996.

Danny Jordaan, the South African Football Association president, said: “We have lost a giant of South African football. I saw him a week ago and, although he was not feeling well, he was in good spirits and I promised to visit him again this week, and now our hero is gone.”