Sports / Local
Soccer festival to honour late Adam Ndlovu
10 Dec 2013 at 04:36hrs | Views
FORMER Highlanders Football Club players and their Victoria Falls Social League counterparts will on Saturday clash in Victoria Falls to honour the late Adam Ndlovu who died on December 16 last year.
Ndlovu and a female friend Nomqhele Tshili died in an accident near the Victoria Falls Airport. Ndlovu's younger brother Peter was in the car and was left with serious injuries but has since recovered and is now manager of Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa.
Methuseli Maphosa, a spokesperson for the organisers and Marko Dube, the former Zimbabwe international's eldest brother, confirmed yesterday that Ndlovu's teammates would travel to the resort town to play soccer with a social league select.
They said the match was organised to honour the former Highlanders player and also to fulfil his teammates' quest to play in Victoria Falls.
When Adam died, he was on his way to join his former teammates in Victoria Falls for a friendly soccer match. The game was called off after the incident and organisers believe there could not have been a better way to remember the former centre forward who scored more goals in the senior national team than any other striker except his younger brother Peter who played more as an attacking midfielder.
"It will be Adam Ndlovu's Memorial Soccer Festival at Chinotimba Stadium. It will involve a number of teams. He died on his way to play here and we felt there was no better way to honour him than in the form of a festival in which we have invited his team of former players and legends," said Maphosa.
In the first match of the day, Victoria Falls Social League will clash with VIP Mosi and there would also be a match involving junior teams from the town.
"But the main match will feature the Victoria Falls Social League Executive and Select and visiting Highlanders. The response to the sponsorship appeal has been good and we have had a number of pledges. We are still appealing for more donations and sponsorships towards the day as proceeds will go towards charity," said Maphosa.
He said participants and organisers would on Sunday morning go to an orphanage and old people's home in the town to clean the premises and present goodies bought with proceeds from the day's programme.
Marko confirmed that the family had allowed organisers to go ahead with the preparations.
"When my brother died, he was on his way to Victoria Falls to play with his former Highlanders teammates. We have allowed the match to go on as we believe it's a noble gesture in trying to remember our brother," said Marko.
Amin Soma-Phiri, famous for his cup winning headers in 1988, Douglas Mloyi, a living legend, Peter Nkomo, Marko, Colsen Mabeza, Dazzy Kapenya and Jerry Sibanda, are among the former Bosso players expected to travel for the match.
Maphosa said on sale would be commemorative T-shirts with Adam's picture. The striker rose through the Highlanders juniors and represented the country at Under-20, Under-23 and senior national team level.
His 34 goals for the Warriors is the second highest after Peter's 38. Zifa have retired Jersey Number 13 in his honour. Adam's death united Zimbabweans from all walks of life with people coming from all over the country and beyond the borders for his funeral.
Ndlovu and a female friend Nomqhele Tshili died in an accident near the Victoria Falls Airport. Ndlovu's younger brother Peter was in the car and was left with serious injuries but has since recovered and is now manager of Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa.
Methuseli Maphosa, a spokesperson for the organisers and Marko Dube, the former Zimbabwe international's eldest brother, confirmed yesterday that Ndlovu's teammates would travel to the resort town to play soccer with a social league select.
They said the match was organised to honour the former Highlanders player and also to fulfil his teammates' quest to play in Victoria Falls.
When Adam died, he was on his way to join his former teammates in Victoria Falls for a friendly soccer match. The game was called off after the incident and organisers believe there could not have been a better way to remember the former centre forward who scored more goals in the senior national team than any other striker except his younger brother Peter who played more as an attacking midfielder.
"It will be Adam Ndlovu's Memorial Soccer Festival at Chinotimba Stadium. It will involve a number of teams. He died on his way to play here and we felt there was no better way to honour him than in the form of a festival in which we have invited his team of former players and legends," said Maphosa.
In the first match of the day, Victoria Falls Social League will clash with VIP Mosi and there would also be a match involving junior teams from the town.
He said participants and organisers would on Sunday morning go to an orphanage and old people's home in the town to clean the premises and present goodies bought with proceeds from the day's programme.
Marko confirmed that the family had allowed organisers to go ahead with the preparations.
"When my brother died, he was on his way to Victoria Falls to play with his former Highlanders teammates. We have allowed the match to go on as we believe it's a noble gesture in trying to remember our brother," said Marko.
Amin Soma-Phiri, famous for his cup winning headers in 1988, Douglas Mloyi, a living legend, Peter Nkomo, Marko, Colsen Mabeza, Dazzy Kapenya and Jerry Sibanda, are among the former Bosso players expected to travel for the match.
Maphosa said on sale would be commemorative T-shirts with Adam's picture. The striker rose through the Highlanders juniors and represented the country at Under-20, Under-23 and senior national team level.
His 34 goals for the Warriors is the second highest after Peter's 38. Zifa have retired Jersey Number 13 in his honour. Adam's death united Zimbabweans from all walks of life with people coming from all over the country and beyond the borders for his funeral.
Source - chronicle
