A former Orlando Pirates star has made a strong start to life in the United States, scoring the winning goal for his new club this week to help them advance in the US Open Cup.
Cameroonian forward Souaibou Marou may not have left a lasting mark during his brief time in South Africa, but his stint in the US is off to a promising start.
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Marou was released by Pirates in June 2024 after just one season, during which he failed to score in nine appearances, according to Transfermarkt.
Following that, he had a short-lived spell with Al Shabab in Bahrain in August 2024. His contract was terminated just a month later before he could make an appearance.
After spending six months as a free agent, Marou signed with Charlotte Independence in March 2025, a club competing in the third tier of US football.
Since joining Charlotte, he has made three league appearances off the bench as he works towards full match fitness.
However, in his debut US Open Cup match last week, Marou made a big impact—scoring the winner in extra-time during Charlotte's 2-1 victory over Carolina Core in the second round of the tournament on Wednesday.
Due to his massive impact on the game, the 24-year-old was also named the Man of the Match.
Game winning goal ?? Man of the Match ?? pic.twitter.com/uPE3OwXIL9
— Charlotte Independence (@Independence) April 2, 2025
Interestingly, Marou now plays in the same league as former PSL striker Leonardo Castro, who represents Greenville Triumph, a club co-owned by Brazilian legend Ronaldinho.
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By Lukhanyo Mtuta
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