Chronicle Editor
ON Thursday, the Mighty Warriors opened another chapter, in their incredible tale of success, when they proudly took their place among only a dozen of the world’s finest national football teams during the draw for the 2016 Olympic Games football tournament.
It was an historic moment for Zimbabwean football, something that we should all be proud of, just to see the name of our beloved nation, in the same hat as a number of World Cup winners, and just 11 other countries, as the draw was conducted at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Just being in that exclusive company, seeing our name being lifted from that hat, was a mighty triumph for our football, in particular, and our nation, in general and, given the negativity that has stalked our national game in the last six years, this was a moment to cherish.
We were not there by invitation, but having earned our right by qualifying for the tournament, just one of two African nations who will play in the Olympic Games and, as we rightly noted in this newspaper yesterday, this was our finest moment in football.
We are proud of the Mighty Warriors, and we sAy it loud and clear, and they have shown us — and even those who doubt them — that they are a team on the rise by not only qualifying for the Olympic Games but also for the Women African Cup of Nations finals.
Their back-to-back victories over Zambia, spiced by the three goals they scored in Lusaka as they won the second leg last Saturday, was the kind of stuff that real champions are made of and, with every goal, and every win, they are flying our national flag high and showing the world that, indeed, our football is thriving in this country.
We have our challenges as a nation, just like any other countries, but what we have never lacked is resilience, especially to beat the odds, and the Mighty Warriors have become the team that demonstrates that we are a nation of winners and that has given us incredible joy and pride in the past few months.
Now that the Mighty Warriors know the opposition they are going to face in their group in Brazil, including former World Cup winners Germany, the time has now come for us to plan properly so that we don’t go to Brazil just to make up the numbers but to compete favourably and, if we could beat Cameroon en-route to Rio, why should we not feel confident that we can beat any team.
That’s the beauty of this game and 14 years ago, Senegal arrived at the 2002 World Cup, their first dance at the globe’s biggest football as rank outsiders, just like our Mighty Warriors who are making their maiden appearance at the Olympic Games, and the Teranga Lions’ first game was a blockbuster tie against the defending champions France.
But we all saw how the Senegalese turned the tables as they beat France 1-0 on their way to the quarter-finals and they would even have made the semi-finals, becoming the first African nation to achieve that feat, had they not lost in extra-time to a golden goal against Turkey.
That should inspire us, but we can only do as well, if not better, if we get our act together and that is why we need to plan properly, draw up a comprehensive preparatory programme that should see the Mighty Warriors playing competitive teams, who play the same way as those they will find in their group, ahead of their Rio dance.
We are happy to note that ZIFA have already arranged a friendly match against New Zealand in Brazil but we need to do more, especially before we get to Rio, because that is the crucial period for our coach and his troops to ensure that everything is on course for us to do very well at the Olympic Games.
We are also happy that businessman Wicknell Chivayo has had a change of heart, after his ill-timed decision to break ranks with the national teams, and yesterday announced that he will help the Mighty Warriors with funding for their programmes and incentives.
But he cannot do it all on his own.
We need more players, individuals who have the nation at heart and who see the success of the Mighty Warriors as the success of our nation, to also come forward and pool their resources to help the team and we also need the corporate sector — even in these trying times — to spare something for these gallant Warriors.
If we can organise a golf tournament of about R2 million, over just four days, surely we can also reserve a little bit for the Mighty Warriors, who are flying our flag on the international stage and need all the incentives that they can get so that they can fight, without any distractions, when they get the ball rolling in Rio.
Online Reporter
dyton mupawaenda