Musona’s club breaks the duck

Robson Sharuko-Senior Sports Editor

KNOWLEDGE MUSONA’S new club, Al-Taée finally found their scoring touch, with a four-goal harvest last night, as they powered to their first league win, in the Saudi Pro League, in 13 years.

Their last victory in the top-flight league of the oil rich kingdom came courtesy of another four-goal harvest in a comprehensive 4-1 thrashing of Al Qadsiah, on April 9, 2008.

They were soon relegated from the Saudi Pro League, that year, and spent 13 years, wandering outside the big boys’ club until they secured their return, this season.

Al-Tae’e finished third, in the race for a place in the top-flight league, which gave them the final ticket, for another dance with the coun­try’s biggest clubs.

However, they struggled, in the first four games of their return, picking just one point, out of a possible 12.

They also had issues in attack, with their only goal coming in the 1-3 home defeat to Al Batin, when Musona converted a penalty for the consolation.

Having fired blanks, in a 0-1 home defeat to Al Hilal, on their return to the big time, they followed that with a similar defeat, at the hands of Damac, in a match in which they, once again, failed to find the target.

They eventually celebrated a goal, with Musona’s penalty conversion, on August 27, but it came in a depressing home defeat to Al Feiha. However, a goalless draw, against Al Batin, in their previous match, handing them their first point of the campaign, brought a rainbow of hope, for the Warriors captain, and his teammates.

But, without any shot on target, in that match, the concerns remained.

Yesterday, Al-Taeé put all that to rest with a stunning attacking show which powered them to a 4-2 victory over A Ittifaq, at the Prince Abul Aziz bin Musa’ed Stadium.

The Warriors skipper started the match as part of the attack and remained on the field, until just six minutes from the end, when vic­tory had been secured.

He was replaced by Basil Yousef Alsayyali.

The hero of the night for Al Tae’e was Swiss forward, Cephas Malele, who scored twice, either side of the break, in the 34th minute, and 77th minute.

The 27-year-old Malele was born in Angola but now holds Swiss citizenship.

Abdulaziz Al-Harabi scored their first goal, in the 28th minute.

It was the club’s first goal, from open play, in 388 minutes, in the Saudi top-flight league and it appeared to give them the confidence, which had been lacking, until now.

However, despite scoring twice, in the first half, their defensive frailties remained and the opponents struck twice, in the same half, through Brazilian forward, Elierce de Souza.

He scored in the 21st and 41st minute.

But, the home side retained their composure and a second goal from Malele, and a strike from Marcelo dos Santos Ferreira, in the 66th minute, ensured a comfortable victory.

After five league matches, they have now moved into 14th place, with four points, having won one and drawn another match, in their campaign. They are now above Abha, who also have four points, and bottom club Al-Tawoon, who have two points.

Ettifaq remained in 10th place.

For a club, which had struggled to find their shooting accuracy, since the beginning of the season, four goals, in one match, represented the high point, of their return, to the top-flight league. That the four goals came from just five shots on target, for Musona and his colleagues, was an even impressive picture, of their con­version rate.

In total, they had 12 shots, with their oppo­nents having 14 shots, including five on target.

Al-Tae’e also had an inferior share of posses­sion, with 42 percent, compared to 58 percent, for Ettifaq. But, unlike in their other matches, they got it right, where it mattered, putting the ball at the back of the net, with a double strike, either side of the break.

Musona is part of a crew of recruits, who were brought try and add value to the team, after they finally secured their return to the top-flight league.

Former Al Ahly playmaker, Amir Sayoud, who was once regarded as one of the best teen­agers in the game, after showing a lot of prom­ise during his time at Al Ahli in the United Arab Emirates, is also part of the new boys.

Sayoud, the Algerian, was brought in by the Egyptian giants, at the age of 18, amid glowing tributes that he was on his way to greatness.

However, his stay at Africa’s most suc­cessful football club was a forgettable one, as he struggled to justify the hype, which was surrounding him. A number of loan spells followed at Al-Arabi, Ismaily and MC Alger, in Algeria, before the Egyptians finally lost patience with him and termi­nated his contract.

He played in Bulgaria, Tunisia and Algeria where he won two league championships, with CR Belouizdad.

His impressive spell in Algeria, where he appeared to find the touch, which he used to show during his teenage years, caught the eye of the owners of Al-Taeé.

They splashed US$1 million to get his ser­vices. That financial outlay, for a 30-year-old who had spent time seemingly struggling to find a permanent home, confirms the big money in the Saudi Pro League.

In the Saudi Pro League, a club can register seven foreign players and Sayoud is one of the six, at Al-Tae’e.

The others are Brazilians, Dener, Lucas and Mercelo, while they also have Bulgaria’s Martin Lukov.