South Africa striker Sibusiso Zuma has only been at German club Arminia Bielefeld for five months but he has become a home crowd favourite after scoring a wonder goal in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Hertha Berlin.
Zuma weaved his way through the Hertha defence in a mazy run from the half-way line he capped off with a cool finish.
”It was an important goal in a big big game for us,” he said. ”I love scoring goals and it helps the team which is the main thing.”
The 30-year-old from Durban arrived at the club from FC Copenhagen in May for €800,000 with then sporting director Thomas van Heesen talking up the South African forward.
”He is a real talent and can be an icon for the fans here,” said van Heesen.
”He is a jewel and needs to have the liberty to do what he wants on the pitch.”
Zuma has often been used as a right midfielder but against Hertha he was deployed as a second striker and revelled in his favoured role.
”I can play on the right but up front is my preferred position,” he said.
At Copenhagen he was nicknamed ”Zuma the Puma”.
”He was by far the most popular player we ever had,” mourned Copenhagen sporting director Nils Christian Holmstrom.
It seems Copenhagen’s loss is Bielefeld’s gain and at €800 000 Zuma looks a snip. – AFP
