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Panashe Madanha
Panashe Madanha (born 5 August 2004) is a professional footballer who plays as a right back for Adelaide United. Born in Zimbabwe, he represents Australia at youth level. He is the first Zimbabwe-born player to feature in the A-League.[2] Early and personal lifePanashe Madanha was born on 5 August 2004 in Harare, Zimbabwe.[3] At the age of four, his family relocated to Adelaide, Australia, following a job opportunity for his father and subsequent employment for his mother as a nurse.[3][4] Growing up in Adelaide, Madanha enjoyed playing football during the winter months and cricket during the Australian summer and actively participated in athletics.[3] He started playing football at the age of seven, eventually signing for Adelaide United's youth side.[3] Encouraged by his parents, Madanha studied Human Movement and Physiotherapy.[3] Club careerAdelaide UnitedMadanha signed his first professional contract on 5 July 2022, a two-year scholarship deal, following his form with Adelaide United Youth at NPL level after scoring 6 goals in 17 appearances.[5] He soon made his professional debut in an Australia Cup Round of 32 match against Newcastle Jets on 30 July 2022.[6] In the league season, on 27 December, Madanha made his A-League Men debut, coming off the bench in the 89th minute, in United's second match-up against Newcastle.[7] His debut made him the first Zimbabwe-born player to feature in the A-League.[3] Madanha made his first league start, after making an extra substitute appearance following his debut, in a 2–0 win over Perth Glory on 2 January 2023.[8] His strong performance as a temporary replacement for defender Javi López, received praise by manager Carl Veart.[9] In the subsequent match and in his second starting appearance, Madanha scored an own goal in United's 4–0 lost to Central Coast Mariners,[10] followed by his third starting appearance against Melbourne Victory as a right-back for United.[11] Madanha extended his contract with Adelaide on 5 October 2023, prior to the 2023–24 A-League season, re-signing until the end of the 2025–26 season.[12] International careerBorn in Zimbabwe and having spent a significant portion of his childhood in Australia, Madanha holds eligibility to represent either Zimbabwe or Australia on the international stage.[13] In February 2023, Madanha received his first international call-up after being selected to represent the Australia U20 squad for the AFC U-20 Asian Cup. He would join alongside other South Australian youngsters, such as Bernardo Oliveira, Jonny Yull, and Raphael Borges Rodrigues.[14] Style of playOn the field, Madanha frequently uses his solid frame and impressive pace, which consistently troubles opposing defenders.[3] As a pacy winger, he utilises his physical attributes to his advantage, creating difficulties for the opposition's backline and posing a constant threat with his speed and power.[5] Under Carl Veart's system, Madanha was deployed as a right-back instead of his natural position as a winger.[15] Despite this, he was able to showcase his ability to contribute positively in different areas of the pitch whilst adding to his energetic and forward-minded runs to further contribute to his team's success, making him a very versatile player to Adelaide United's gameplay.[3][9][16] References
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