Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
IT would be unfair to expect much from the national women’s teams that will participate in the upcoming Cosafa championships in South Africa, a football administrator has said.
The regional event for the senior women will be held in Nelson Mandela Bay l from November 3-14, while the Under-17 championship is slated for November 5-13.
The regional football bloc said the competitions would be a welcome return to national team competition for the sides that have endured a frustrating 2020.
Journalist and women’s football administrator Lee Mangena said winning the Cosafa women’s championships should not be a priority for Zimbabwe.
“There is a new normal, meaning we do not know how much Covid-19 will affect our lives and the game. I believe that is why even Cosafa has decided to have these competitions. I think Cosafa wants the game to move forward.
“As a country we should just aim to use these games as training and winning should just be a bonus. There is no choice, but to call the trusted players that have been in the national side before because with this long period of inactivity the coaches will struggle with players’ fitness, but there is not much that can be done as the games have to be played,” said Mangena.
Cosafa last week said loosening of Covid-19 regulations by the governments of Lesotho and Eswatini has allowed the two countries to make a welcome late entry into the competitions.
It means there will be a change in format, with three pools instead of the two that had initially been planned.
Group A will have four teams, while Group B and C will have three teams each.
The top side in each pool will advance to the semi-finals alongside the best-placed runner-up.
The draw for the tournament will take place on Thursday.
Besides the late entrants, the field also includes Angola, Botswana, Comoros Islands, Malawi, South Africa, East African guest nation Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Despite confirming participation in the competitions, Zifa is yet to come up with a detailed programme for the competitions. – @innocentskizoe
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