adminRay Bande : Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Chicken Inn hitman, Tendai Ndoro’s career has hit a purple patch and has suddenly become a ball on fire in the ABSA Premiership, south of the Limpopo, where he is scoring for fun since he became a regular at Orlando Pirates. Ndoro’s exploits have earned the respect and admiration of respected football personalities in South Africa and beyond, with Orlando Pirates coach, Eric Tinkler, recently warning the top scorer not to rest on his laurels after his goal scoring spree over the last months has propelled the club up the Absa Premiership standings and into the Nedbank Cup semi-finals.
Ndoro has scored five Nedbank Cup goals, including a dramatic breakaway effort to win last Saturday’s quarterfinal tie against high-flying Mamelodi Sundowns, plus another five in the Absa Premiership.
“I am happy he is scoring, but I need to keep all the players on their toes. You can’t rest on your laurels,” Tinkler told the media in the build-up to Wednesday’s Absa Premiership match at home to Polokwane city.
“You are only as good as your last game, that’s the harsh reality. I’m happy for him that he is doing well, it’s good for us but needs to continue working hard if he wants to still remain a success because, you know in the modern game, people start quickly picking up your strengths and then they look to counter that.
“So now you have to come up with extra energies, you have to come up with extra ideas in terms of wanting to improve your own game. So hence I’m saying Tendai must continue working,” the Pirates coach was quoted as saying.
As if that was enough, the 2016 COSAFA Castle Cup in Namibia from June 11-25 will provide the watching world with a glimpse of the best up-and-coming talent in the Southern African region over two weeks of intense competition and Ndoro’s name could not escape pre-tournament analysis.
According to Cosafa official website, there will be some more established stars with a point to prove, making it a fascinating tournament for the neutrals and fans alike.
The website chose 10 players to watch at the tournament as the 14 competing sides go for glory and Ndoro was one of the 10.
“Zimbabwe is packed with talented forwards, but one who has come into his own in recent months is Tendai Ndoro. The striker has netted eight goals in his last six starts for South African Premier Soccer League side Orlando Pirates and is arguably in the form of his life.
“He faces stiff opposition to get into the Zimbabwe line-up, but if selected will be confident of continuing to bang in the goals,” read a piece on the Cosafa website.
Orlando Pirates defeated Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 after extra time in their Nedbank Cup quarterfinal battle in Atteridgeville on Saturday night when red-hot striker Ndoro scored one and created the other to seal a place in the semi-finals for the Buccanneers.
Pirates broke the deadlock five minutes into the second half of extra time.
Ndoro broke the offside trap and was well found by teammate Motupa and the Pirates hitman made no mistake as he struck a low left-foot shot past Dennis Onyango.
Goal-scorer then turned provider four minutes later. Ndoro laid the ball on a plate for Mpho Makola who side-footed the ball home to double the visitors lead.
In a recent interview with KICK OFF Magazine, Ndoro said at the very least he wants to finish as Orlando Pirates’ top scorer this season.
The Zimbabwean hitman is in fine form, having netted 10 goals in his last eight matches, including a brace in the recent 4-1 win against Golden Arrows.
He said he would have matched leading scorer Collins Mbesuma had he played all season, having only become a regular in February.
“Aside from wanting to win the Nedbank Cup, I want to be the top goalscorer for the club. I’ve won the top goalscorer at most clubs I’ve played for. If I had played from the start I would be challenging Collins Mbesuma,” he said
Kickoff.com reported that, at Pirates, Ndoro has forged a good relationship with Edwin Gymah – a relationship that started when the two played for Mpumalanga Black Aces.
Among the strikers, Ndoro says Lehlohonolo Majoro has been a motivating factor.
“We speak all the time because he (Gyimah) is the guy that motivates me to do well. For strikers it’s very rare to encourage each other, but ‘Major’ is a true professional and I’ve never seen a striker like him,” he said
Ndoro is currently on 10 goals in all competitions, one more than Mpho Makola.
Online Reporter