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Sadomba was in the company of some Zimbabwe embassy officials and some of the officials from his Sudanese top-flight club Al Hilal.
The Warriors, who were on the same Kenya Airways flight with defending CHAN champions Democratic Republic of Congo, touched down in Sudan at around 8.30pm and as Madinda Ndlovu and his men made their way to the arrivals terminal, they were greeted by a rousing welcome from Sudanese fans who literally hero-worship Sadomba.

Droves of Sudan’s electronic and print media journalists were also in tow and one could have been forgiven for thinking that it was actually Zimbabwe who are the defending champions as they overshadowed the Congolese despite the presence of eight players from World Club Championships runner-up TP Mazembe in the DRC contingent.

Even some Congolese nationals who live in Sudan and were at the airport could not resist joining in the Sadomba mania, as did the taxi drivers and airport staff and security.
In fact, this band of home-based Warriors received a far more rapturous welcome in Khartoum than they got from the Zimbabwe Soccer Supporters’ Association when Norman Mapeza’s squad had virtually booked their place at the CHAN finals by thrashing Seychelles 4-2 away from home in May last year.

Then, only three Zifa officers — Tafi Chitsungo, Munyaradzi Siwatsi and Timothy Mazhindu — were on hand to welcome and congratulate the team for securing a second CHAN appearance for Zimbabwe although the supporters’ body and their membership were quick to later jostle for places when it was announced that Zifa were chartering a flight to Liberia for the Nations Cup squad.
But last Thursday night the Warriors were treated like heroes even before they had kicked a ball in Sudan, thanks to the profile that Sadomba has built for his country and for himself in Africa’s biggest nation.

And as he embraced each and every onen on the 37-member Zimbabwe delegation, the fans chanted “Sadomba, Zimbabwe, Sadomba, Zimbabwe, Sadomba, Zimbabwe’’.
The former Dynamos striker, who has struck 34 goals in 43 appearances for Al Hilal including a record nine in one match, however, remained modest despite being feted like a king and told the Warriors that he had taken advantage of his popularity here to mobilise support for them especially in Khartoum.

The Warriors, who are in Group B with Niger, Ghana and South Africa, will complete their pool games with a clash against the South Africans at the Al Hilal Stadium in Khartoum on February 13 and if the scenes at the airport on their arrival are anything to go by, then they will be home away from home on that night.
Sadomba also revealed that top-flight coaches and agents in Sudan were keen to scout for more Zimbabwean players and believes the Warriors’ appearance could provide new avenues for skipper Washington Arubi and his troops.

The Al Hilal chief striker disclosed that his club coach was keen to “unearth another player like me from Zimbabwe and will be travelling to Wad Medani to watch their game against Ghana’’.
“I would like to thank God for making all this possible. He gave me the blessings and chose me to come here and be  Zimbabwe’s football ambassador,’’ Sadomba said.
He also backed the Warriors to go all the way in this campaign.
“When I saw the squad I realised that it has very good players.
“Some of them played Champions League football with their clubs, others played in the Confederation Cup and there are also a number of talented youngsters.
“ When I got to the airport well before the team had arrived, the major question I got from the media, the fans and some agents is whether they could find more good players from Zimbabwe and I told them there were a lot of players like me back home.

“Now they all want to watch Zimbabwe’s matches either on TV or at the stadium and I have told these players to relax, play their normal game and use this opportunity to impress the club coaches and scouts                    who will be watching them,’’ Sadomba             said.

The man affectionately known as Duduza by his legion of fans back home also said he would also try to help keep the players motivated during their stay in Sudan.
“We have to make them feel comfortable and at home and that is why I also bought each one of the players, their technical staff and management phone lines and I will keep on assisting where possible to make their stay here comfortable,’’ Sadomba said.-The Sunday Mail