The Sunday Mail
One gets the feeling that red hot Warriors striker Tendai “Fire 7” Ndoro would have scooped the Absa Premiership Golden Boot had he put in a full season’s work at Mpumalanga Black Aces.
Ndoro ended the season with seven goals, just three shy of the eventual winner, Bernard Parker of Kaizer Chiefs, yet he only entered the race midway through.
His strike rate (0.43) in his 16 appearances, if translated into a whole season, would leave Ndoro with at least 14 goals.
Parker averaged 0.37 goals a match.
Ndoro, who moved to the Absa Premiership in January, had to wait until February to make his debut as the league was suspended for the CHAN 2014 finals held in South Africa early this year.
He did not take time to settle, scoring his maiden Super Diski goal in only his second match when Mpumalanga Aces beat Maritzburg 2-1 on February 16.
Two braces inside a fortnight against Ajax Cape Town and Moroka Swallows in March eased relegation pressure for the Clive Barker-coached side and Ndoro soon became the darling of the AmaZayoni fans.
When he is not scoring, Ndoro can also be a thorn in the flesh for defenders with his intelligent off the ball runs and incisive play.
This attribute was sorely felt by the Kaizer Chiefs defence on April 9 when Aces shocked the defending champions 1-0 at the Soccer City Stadium in a game Fire 7 tormented the Amakhosi defence.
He was so hot the Amakhosi lads had to resort to unorthodox means to stop him.
The striker was unlucky not to earn a penalty when Warriors teammate Willard Katsande floored him inside the box.
Ndoro has taken over the mantle from the veteran striker Mabhuti Khenyeza who could only manage a paltry three goals.
Aces’ Afcon-winning coach Barker can only hope that his most cherished asset will not be swooped on by the big boys this off-season.
