National senior women football team Mighty Warriors are ready for the 2016 Rio Olympic first round second qualifier against Zambia at Rufaro Stadium this Sunday.
The Mighty Warriors enter into the crucial encounter trailing in the tie after a 2-1 first leg defeat in Zambia last week and will be looking to turn the tables and progress to the next stage.
Despite the defeat the Mighty Warriors have a crucial away goal advantage that may prove to be important for them to progress to the next stage of the qualifiers.
Mighty Warriors gaffer Rosemary Mugadaza is optimistic of positive results given the preparedness of her charges ahead of the crucial encounter and she will be hoping to take advantage of the away goal they scored in Lusaka.
“We have been working on their alertness when defending and attacking as a team and also how to react when they lose the ball and be quickly to retain ball possession.
“I think if they commit themselves to this second leg we might qualify for the next stage,” said Mugadza.
On Thursday Mugadza called up two more players into camp to strengthen her squad ahead of the do or die encounter. One of them is Eunice Chibanda who previously played for the Mighty Warriors and also captained the young mighty warriors.
Chibanda’s recent impressive form at her club Black Rhinos Queens saw her being called to the senior team and another player called for national duty is Hilda Marange who plays for Mufakose Queens.
Mighty Warriors will be looking to compensate for their failure to qualify for the All-Africa Games finals by progressing to the 2016 Rio Olympics Games and if they get past Zambia they are likely to face an uphill task as they will either face Cote d’Ivoire or Tunisia.
Zimbabwe faced Tunisia before in 2011 in a friendly match played in Egypt, winning the match 1-0 courtesy of a goal by Tsitsi Mairosi, but the Mighty Warriors have never faced Ivory Coast before.
The task becomes even more daunting for the Mighty Warriors if they progress past this stage, as they will face the winners of the matches involving Egypt/Ghana and winner of Guinea Bissau/Liberia versus Cameroon in the fourth and final qualifying round.
The winner of the final qualifying round will join other winner from the other qualifying group as Africa’s two representatives at the 2016 Olympic Games to be held in Rio.
Mighty Warriors squad:
Chido Dzingirai, Deliwe Makaha, Process Chatsamiwa, Patience Mujuru, Nobuhle Majika, Sheila Makokto, Moleene Murandu, Chido Muhara, Fortunate Kandawa, Emmaculate Msipa, Talent Mandaza, Felistas Muzongondi, Marjory Nyaumwe, Rejoice Kamupfumvuti, Samkeliso Zulu, Mavis Chirandu, Erina Jeke, Rudo Neshamba, Tafadzwa Tsunguro, Berita Kabwe, Kealise Maphosa, Violet Bepete, Bokani Sibanda, Hilda Marange, Eunice Chibanda.
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