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Langton Nyakwenda
PERHAPS the only contrast between Edward Sadomba and his son El Shaddai is their backgrounds.
While Sadomba was raised in the tough environment of Mbare, the country’s oldest high-density suburb, El Shaddai is growing up comfortably in the leafy suburb of Borrowdale and attends an upmarket school – St John’s College.
But it seems the father and son share a lot in common.
El Shaddai has his father’s looks, just as much as he has his dad’s football genes.
Just like his father was during his peak, El Shaddai is also developing into a predatory striker.
He shot to fame as a 14-year-old, when he claimed the Golden Boot award at the CAF African Schools tournament held in Harare last December.
El Shaddai scored six goals for Zimbabwe’s national Under-15 side and was the tournament’s joint top scorer with South African Ferguson Rhys, who is on the books of Ubuntu Football Academy.
He has not taken his foot off the pedal as he is now dominating the scoring charts in the Harare Province Junior Football League.
El Shaddai, who is now 15, has netted 13 goals for Golden Eagles who are third on the Under-16 log after 22 rounds of action.
Sadomba is three goals ahead of the duo of David Jena (NC Sports Academy) and Nyasha Danza of Power Academy.
His young brother, Adonai (13), is the second top scorer in the Under-14 segment with 11 goals for Golden Eagles.
Sean Chowanga of Cadship Stars tops the Under-14 scoring charts with 14 goals.
The Sadomba siblings are following in the footsteps of their father, Edward, who is still regarded as one of the finest strikers to have played in Africa inter-club competitions, although he retired from the game five years ago.
Edward Sadomba is one of the all-time highest scorers in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup tournaments with 33 goals.
He made his fortune in the Arab world where he turned out for clubs in Libya, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates.
As they say, a fruit does not fall very far away from the tree, and it looks like his sons, El Shaddai and Adonai, will walk the same path as their father’s.
Golden Eagles Under-16 coach Attended Shonhiwa speaks highly of El Shaddai.
“When we finished assessing him, I sat down with his father and I told him the boy was good, but there were some things that needed to be changed.
“We needed to change his mentality, his behaviour and his attitude,” says Shonhiwa.
“In the Harare Province Junior League we play against different teams from different areas such as Chitungwiza, Mbare, Kuwadzana and Eastview and his father was a bit sceptical about that arrangement because of the boy’s background.
“But, we needed to change this mindset because we needed to prepare El Shaddai to play in tough conditions.
“He was too stylish and too salad-like, you understand.
“But we are happy, the boy has developed. After the CAF tournament he kept pushing and the results are showing.
“He is a natural striker, someone who knows what he is doing,” added Shonhiwa.
The coach believes the future is bright for Zimbabwean football given the number of talented prospects in the junior leagues.
“We have so much talent in this league,” he said.
“I believe that most of the boys in this league will end up playing top flight and international football.”
Online Reporter