Edward Sadomba For Al-Hilal
WARRIORS and former Dynamos striker Edward Sadomba has broken fresh ground by becoming the first Zimbabwean soccer player to feature competitively in Sudan after signing for renowned African campaigners Al-Hilal in Khartoum last week.
Sadomba, who turns 26 in August, completed the move, which netted a cool R4 million for his side Wits University, whose business acumen has stirred South African football as the Premier Soccer League middle rankers made big money out of Sadomba without the Zimbabwean having kicked a single ball for them.
A hot property on the Zimbabwean scene in Dynamos’ colours during their fairy-tale semi-final finish in last year’s African Champions League competition, Sadomba’s exploits impressed Wits coach Roger de Sa, but his transfer in January this year was scuppered after “The Students” discovered they had already exceeded their quota for foreign players.
Former CAPS United goalkeeper Energy Murambadoro is among their imported stars.
Sadomba then found himself at an unlikely destination in Mozambique where Atletico Muculmana took him up on a six-month loan agreement with the South African side.
The Mbare-born footballer proved good value for money, scoring seven goals in the five months he stayed in Maputo.
Sadomba was poised to revert to Wits upon the expiry of the loan deal at the end of the month but received the news last week that he would be moving permanently to Khartoum.
The move also effectively put paid to Sadomba’s dreams of an early break into Europe that he had reportedly been seeking this close-season.
Wits officials confirmed here at the weekend that their Zimbabwean signing had been permanently transferred after Al-Hilal “came knocking hard on the door” for a striker of Sadomba’s calibre.
Coach de Sa, a firm believer in raw Zimbabwean talent, told journalists he was sorry never to benefit from Sadomba’s services but felt the deal made good business sense for the club as it enables them to flesh out more muscle on the market.
Sadomba, who has previously played in South Africa for lower division side Tembisa Classic, was sired by Regis Dzenga’s Agatha Sheneti Academy at Mt Pleasant High, graduating into the senior ranks with Dzenga’s Harare United before the move down south and ultimately the lucrative switch to Dynamos on loan in 2007.
Al-Hilal are strengthening their squad ahead of the mini-league phase of Africa’s top club competition and have taken on the Zimbabwean international striker to spearhead their attack in Group A, when international flair will be especially necessary in their derby clash against countrymen El-Merreikh.
Kano Pillars of Nigeria and Zesco United of Zambia complete the four teams in that group.
But Sadomba, who sponsors a five-a-side soccer outfit from his Mbare neighbourhood, may grace Zimbabwe’s fields again should Al-Hilal reach the final and, glory of glories, clash against Zimbabwean soccer champions Monomotapa who would in that case have proceeded to the same stage from a tough Group B that features Tunisian aristocrats Etoile du Sahel, TP Mazembe from the DR Congo and Nigeria’s Heartland FC.
The mini-league showdown begins in two weeks’ time, after next weekend’s 2010 World Cup and African Cup of Nations qualifiers around the continent.
Posted by Sakhile Malaba
on June 30, 2009. Filed under Soccer,Sports.
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