Pirates Mourn The Passing Of Former Striker

Orlando Pirates have joined millions of football fans in mourning the sad passing of former striker Tendai Ndoro.

The former Zimbabwe international passed away on Monday in Johannesburg after a battle with illness. He was 40 years old.

Ndoro’s last professional appearance was for Highlands Park during the 2019/20 season in a March 2020 match against Baroka, where he was substituted in the 59th minute by Lindokuhle Mbatha.

In a statement, Orlando Pirates expressed their sorrow, saying, “Orlando Pirates Football Club is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our former striker, Tendai Ndoro (2015–2017). The club extends its heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time.”

Ndoro joined Pirates from Mpumalanga Black Aces ahead of the 2015/16 season. Despite his contributions, he was on the losing side in three major finals with Pirates: two Nedbank Cups against SuperSport United and the 2015 CAF Confederations Cup final against Étoile du Sahel. He also lost the MTN8 final with Highlands Park in the 2019/20 season against the now-defunct SuperSport.

Ndoro’s most prolific period was with the Buccaneers during the 2016/17 season, where he scored 12 goals in 30 league matches, including a hat-trick against Golden Arrows in the season’s opening game at Orlando Stadium.

In total, he netted 23 goals in 60 matches for Pirates before being transferred to Saudi Arabian club Al-Faisaly FC just after the start of the 2017/18 season.

His time in the Saudi Pro League was difficult, as he went unpaid for several months. He eventually returned to South Africa to join Ajax Cape Town (now Cape Town Spurs). This move led to significant trouble for the club, as it was his third team in one season, a violation of FIFA’s rules. As a result, Ajax Cape Town was docked points for the seven league matches in which Ndoro played, and the penalty led to their relegation to the Motsepe Foundation Championship.