The football fraternity has been plunged into mourning following the death of former Orlando Pirates and Ajax Cape Town striker Tendai Ndoro at the age of 40.
Ndoro had a long battle with diabetes, which ultimately cut short his football career. It is said that Ndoro was found dead at his apartment in Sandton, Johannesburg, on Monday.
The former Zimbabwean international had recently been hospitalised in Durban due to a tumour under his armpit. His death is a significant loss to the football communities of both South Africa and Zimbabwe. His demise comes as a major blow to both South African and Zimbabwean football circles.
Ndoro rose to stardom after impressing at Chicken Inn FC in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League of Zimbabwe between 2011 and 2013.
TENDAI NDORO CARVED A NICHE IN SA
He subsequently switched to South Africa, where he played for Mpumalanga Black Aces, Orlando Pirates, Ajax Cape Town and Highlands Park. In South Africa, he last played for Highlands Park between 2018 and 2020 before being forced to hang up his boots due to illness.
Fire, as he was fondly known, also had a brief stint at Nico United in Botswana. In addition, he also played in Saudi Arabia for Al-Faisaly FC.
For Zimbabwe, he made nine appearances and was part of The Warriors squad at the AFCON finals in Gabon in 2017.
Mostly, he is remembered for his time at Orlando Pirates, where he emerged as a top striker. Ndoro made a total of 112 appearances in the Betway Premiership. And he managed to score 36 goals while providing 12 assists.
During his time at Pirates, he excelled and was, at one point, a strong contender for the Golden Boot award. In the 2016/17 season, he scored 12 goals. Lebogang Manyama of Cape Town City FC walked away with the top scorer accolade after managing 13 goals.
Early this month, Ndoro was reported to be in negotiations with Eswatini First Division side Stumbo XI. Reports suggested that the club wanted Ndoro to be an inspiration to their youth and that negotiations were closer to conclusion. However, it was not to be.
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