Harare — Zimbabwe international strikers Edward Sadomba and Nyasha Mushekwi gave Warriors' coach Norman Mapeza a timely boost, ahead of the 2012 Nations Cup qualifier against Liberia in Monrovia on Sunday, by scoring for their clubs at the weekend.

Speed merchant Sadomba, who turns 27 today and is expected to celebrate his birthday with his Warriors' teammates in camp, scored the fourth goal for Sudanese giants Al-Hilal in a 4-2 Confederation Cup tie against AS Fan of Niger in Omdurman on Sunday. Sadomba is expected in Harare this morning.

Big forward Mushekwi, making his Absa Premiership debut for South Africa's richest club Mamelodi Sundowns, scored twice in the second half for a 2-0 win over Moroka Swallows on Saturday. The 22-year-old striker, who won Zimbabwe's Golden Boot last year while playing for CAPS United, was thrown into the fray in the second half and made his presence felt with two brilliant goals on debut in the league.

The first was a trademark bullet header, after he had outjumped his marker, and the second one was a classic centre-forward goal as he beat the defender for pace and then hit a sweet low shot from an angle. Mushekwi would have played against Sadomba's Al-Hilal in the Confederation Cup had he not moved from CAPS United to Sundowns in mid-year.

Without Mushekwi, Method Mwanjali and Lionel Mtizwa - who all moved to Sundowns - and Tafadzwa Rusike (Ajax Cape Town) and Oscar Machapa (Swallows), CAPS United looked lightweight in their contest against Al-Hilal.

They were soundly beaten 0-5 in Sudan, with Sadomba firing a hat-trick for his team. CAPS United then lost the home leg 1-3 at Rufaro - a game that the Zimbabwean speedster did not play because of family commitments.

Sadomba has been in brilliant form for Al-Hilal and on Friday told The Herald that he now wanted to transform his rich club form into the colours of the Warriors and was ready to play a big part in the 2012 Nations Cup campaign. "I have always felt that the best is yet to come for me in the Warriors' colours," said Sadomba.

"I have been working hard in the last couple of years to try and improve my game and I feel that everything is coming into shape right now and I'm in excellent condition. This is an exciting time for the Warriors because we have many good players who are in good shape and form."

Sadomba and his Al-Hilal teammates now top their Confederation Cup group with six points, after two wins in as many matches, while Al-Ittihad of Libya are second on three points and Djoliba of Mali and AS Fan have a point each. Al-Hilal have already beaten al-Ittihad in Libya and they must now be favourites to win this group and this competition after they failed to make the grade in the tough Champions League.

On Sunday Al-Hilal twice came from behind to beat AS FAN, thanks to a storming second half show, and keep themselves on the right track. Al-Hilal were on the back foot as early as the seventh minute when Issifou scored for the visitors but Seif Eldin Masawi equalised for the hosts.

But Masawi was the villain, just a minute after restoring parity, when he turned the ball into his own net to give the visitors a 2-1 lead going into the break. But Khalefa Mohamed equalised again for the hosts on the hour mark and, just three minutes later, Malian defender Barry Demba thrust the home team ahead for the first time in the contest.

Still Al-Hilal needed the insurance goal, to calm the nerves of their fans, and they found it in the 77th minute when Sadomba fired home the fourth. "It was a tough match but I'm happy that we won and I managed to get onto the score sheet because, if you are playing as a forward, goals are important for your confidence," said Sadomba yesterday.

"I'm coming home tomorrow (today) and I'm excited about the Warriors and what we can achieve as a team right now if we can remain focused on every game that we play." Sadomba might find himself playing alongside Mushekwi in the Warriors' colours, at some point in the campaign, and the former CAPS United hitman got his Absa Premiership season off to a great start in Pretoria on Sunday.

The big 22-year-old striker, scorer of four goals in the Confederation Cup this season struck twice after coming on as a second half substitute. After a goalless first half, Sundowns coach Antonio Habbas Lopez introduced Mushekwi and the big forward repaid his coach's confidence in him with a stunning double that drained life out of Swallows.

The first goal, in the 74th minute, was a typical Mushekwi strike - rising above the defence to direct the ball home from within the area. Then, in the 86th minute, he grabbed the insurance goal with a fine strike from a tight angle to complete a memorable debut league game. Mushekwi had also converted from the spot, in a penalty shootout in his first match for Sundowns, but the Brazilians still lost that MTN8 cup game in the lottery.

Sundowns' owner Patrice Motsepe yesterday congratulated Mushekwi, and six of his teammates, who were called up for national duty for the forthcoming Nations Cup qualifiers. "The President, management and technical staff would like to congratulate the following players for getting called up by their countries for national duty," read a message on the Sundowns' website.

"Siboniso Gaxa, Innocent Mdedle, Katlego Mphela, Lionel Mtizwa, Method Mwanjali, Nyasha Mushekwi (and) Elias Pelembe. Well done and keep it up." Gaxa, Mdledle and Mphela are part of the South African team, Mwanjali, Mtizwa and Mushekwi are with the Warriors and Pelembe is with the Mozambicans.