Scoring Champion David Saviola Joins ASEC Mimosas
Image property of ASEC Mimosas
Koffi Konan Saviola David, better known as David Saviola to Mongolian football fans, set the Premier League on fire in 2019, scoring 34 goals in 23 matches. Now the player has signed for ASEC Mimosas of Ligue 1 in his native Ivory Coast.
Saviola was a quiet signing for SP Falcons in August 2018. It was difficult to make a big of a splash in less than two months with the club that year but his six goals in six matches across all competitions convinced management to bring him back for another season. Despite his limited time in Mongolia that season, he was the club's top scorer. The idea of playing in Mongolia came from a fellow-Ivorian and friend Eric Dagro who had played in the country previously.
The signing paid off massively for SP Falcons. Despite a mid-table finish, the club was tied with Erchim FC for the most dangerous attack with 65 goals each. Thirty four of those goals, of course, belonged to Saviola.
In December 2019 Falcons fans received massive news, It was announced that Saviola had signed a new contract to remain with the club for the 2020 season. However, some confusion and disappointment were felt in January 2020 as the club and player announced that he would be returning to play for a team in his homeland.
That club was later revealed to be ASEC Mimosas.
In an exclusive interview with Saviola, the player told Mongolia Football Central that he had actually only signed a pre-contract with SP Falcons for 2020. When one of the biggest clubs in the Ivory Coast came knocking, with a real chance to play in the CAF Champions League, it was too much to resist and he dissolved the pre-contract with SP Falcons.
Prior to coming to Mongolia, the 24-year-old played for Songeon FC, Sewe Sports San-Pedro, Sikemi FC, SOA, and A.S. Denguele, all in the Ivorian Coast, and earned numerous top scorer awards along the way. In 2016 he went on a one-month trial with NK Rudar of the fully-professional Slovenia top flight but was not offered a contract.
While the excitement he brought to every match will surely be missed by the club and fans, there seems to be many more exciting time to come for the player.