THE last time Edward Sadomba featured in a Battle of Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League duel at Barbourfields was in 2008 on the wintry Sunday afternoon of July 13.
It ended with a 1-1 scoreline, with Douglas Zimbago putting Bosso ahead in the 31st minute before Murape Murape responded for DeMbare three minutes before the breather.

Most of the players who now put on the blue and white shirt were still at primary school level then.

Now back at DeMbare, after 10 years on an international football journey that took him to South Africa, Mozambique, Sudan and Libya, Sadomba finds himself in a dressing room full of Premiership rookies.

Back in 2008, when Sadomba made a blistering start – scoring five goals in the opening five matches – DeMbare paraded an array of stars like Desmond Maringwa, Justice Majabvi, Norman Maroto, Leonard Tsipa and Mtshumayeli Moyo. Today, as they head into another instalment of the Battle of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, the ailing Harare giants can only boast of a bunch of novices, most of whom were playing lower division football last season.

If selected, it will be the first time for the likes of Tawanda Chisi, Munyaradzi Mawadza, Junior Selemani, Ngandu Mangala and the impressive Emmanuel Jalai to play in the Battle of Zimbabwe, later on in front of an intimidating Soweto Stand at Barbourfields.

Subsequently, a lot will be expected from Sadomba, who unfortunately is yet to score in seven starts for Dynamos
Sadomba, who has played a total of 563 minutes, including the away match at Chicken Inn during which he was red-carded after only 42 minutes, insists he is not under any pressure to score “because I have other roles that I play apart from scoring.” “Contribution is not made on the field of play only, sometimes you contribute off the field. There are some roles that I play even off the pitch, like always reminding the new boys about the team’s culture and history.

“The main target during the week was to make sure all the players know exactly what it means to play for DeMbare, especially during games like the big one coming on Sunday (today).

“These are the kind of games that can make a player, club heroes are made in these games and we have been talking about it with fellow players.
“The good thing is that some of the players are getting it, even the combinations are now coming up.
“As for myself, I am not under any pressure (to score) because the club comes first. If I don’t score and the team wins then that’s it. “Sometimes you fail to score but you create scoring opportunities for others.” said the 35-year-old skipper.

Inconsistent Dynamos, who have been operating like a yoyo since the start of the season, are winless against Highlanders in their last three league meetings.State media