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Tendai Ndoro

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
WARRIORS’ striker Tendai Ndoro has joined Saudi Arabia topflight side Al Faisaly from South African giants Orlando Pirates in a probable money-spinning deal.

The oil-rich Asian clubs are known for their wealth and the “dollar power” could have been hard to resist for Pirates and the player, who joined the Sea Robbers from Mpumalanga Black Aces in July 2015.

Pirates confirmed Ndoro’s departure on their website, indicating that the former Chicken Inn striker was due for a medical at the Harmah City-based Al Faisaly, and the striker was subsequently ruled out of last night’s league encounter against Baroka.

“Striker, Tendai Ndoro, will miss the Absa Premiership clash against Baroka FC tonight. The club can confirm that it has reached an agreement for the sale of the Zimbabwean international to Al Faisaly Football Club. Ndoro is due to undergo a medical in Saudi Arabia before the deal is finalised,” read a statement on the Pirates website.

Fire, as the striker is affectionately known, played his last match for the Buccaneers on Saturday when they beat Chippa United 1-0 at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg, courtesy of a Thamsanqa Gabuza goal.

Ndoro was used as a second half replacement for Gabuza.

The Zimbabwean arrived in South Africa in December 2013 to join the now defunct Mpumalanga Black Aces after winning the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League’s Golden Boot Award courtesy of 18 goals he scored for Chicken Inn.

Ndoro established himself as a vital cog at Mpumalanga Aces and eventually joined Pirates in 2015. He struggled to settle at Pirates, but despite seeing most of the action from the bench, Ndoro stuck to the Soweto giants.

Despite experiencing a lack of game time at Pirates, Ndoro told Soccer Laduma that he won’t leave Pirates, unless it’s to make a move abroad.

“Talking about leaving Pirates in search of game time is something that is not in my vocabulary. I might leave the club if I get an offer overseas, but I will never leave Pirates for a local team,” Ndoro told Soccer Laduma.

The Nketa-bred footie lived to his word as he became a darling of the Buccaneers’ fans last season when he scored 13 goals in 34 appearances.

His departure might reignite Pirates’ interest in Warriors and Maritzburg United striker Evans Rusike, whose signature was also being sought by Kaizer Chiefs.

Maritzburg are said to have put a R5 million tag on Rusike to scare off competitors and hold onto their prized forward.

@ZililoR