Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
DYNAMOS legend Edward Sadomba has scored highs in his football career, including being short-listed for the CAF African Footballer of the Year Award for players plying their trade on the continent in 2011.
The former Zimbabwe international holds a unique record of winning the Golden Boot accolade in both the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.
He is the fourth highest goal scorer across both continental inter-club competitions with 33 goals, after only Tresor Mputu (55) of the DR Congo, Egypt’s Mahmoud Al-Khatib (37) and Angolan Flavio (35).
Before moving to Sudanese giants Al-Hilal and later on Al Ahly Benghazi, Al Ahly Tripoli and also the United Arab Emirates, the 43-year-old had helped Dynamos win the domestic Premiership championship in 2007 and carried them to the CAF Champions League semi-finals the following year.
But the Agatha Sheneti and Harare United product says nothing from all the outstanding pickings compares with getting President Mnangagwa’s ears, which he did on Wednesday last week.
Sadomba was one of the two football legends, along with former Mighty Warriors star and current Harare City Queens coach Rosemary Mugadza, who were called up to give their opinions on the ZIFA Munhumutapa Challenge Cup which was launched by President Mnangagwa last Wednesday amid glitz and glamour.
The ZIFA Munhumutapa Challenge Cup will see more than 1000 teams taking part in different categories across both genders.
During the launch and shortly before President Mnangagwa addressed thousands who packed the Celebration Centre auditorium, Sadomba and Mugadza were called up for a question-and-answer session right before President Mnangagwa’s eyes.
“Your Excellency,” Sadomba said.
“As a former footballer, I would like to bow before you to say this is an outstanding initiative, and football will never be the same again. The Munhumutapa Challenge Cup is a game-changer. It’s a deliberate effort to address all the gaps which have been weighing football development in this country down over the years.
“I would like to salute you for this. I think there is no better way to go than this.”
Mugadza, who was also part of the FIFA Normalisation Committee when domestic football was put under administration for close to two years, said: “I always get happy to see the girl child being included in such massive projects like this one. My wish is to see girls getting as much as boys do in football.”
And three days after the launch, Sadomba confessed that the feeling of literally addressing the President wasn’t rivalled by any of his past achievements.
“I would like to say that was my finest hour in my entire life,” said Sadomba.
“I have travelled far and wide playing football. I have won several accolades in my football career but nothing beats the feeling of getting to meet President Mnangagwa and getting to address right in front of him.
“I am so humbled to have been given the opportunity to do so. I salute ZIFA which is led by Nqobile Magwizi for giving football a new impetus that is good enough to attract the attention of President Mnangagwa. I am a happy man.”
