daniel chigunwe
Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
MIGHTY Warriors coach, Sithetheliwe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda, says it is crucial they regroup early to begin preparations for next month’s COSAFA Championships.
The team were yesterday drawn to play Botswana and guest nations Tanzania and South Sudan in Group B.
The regional tournament will run from September 15 to 26 in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa.
Sibanda believes, without adequate preparations, the team will struggle at the tournament.
The players have been inactive for the past one-year, after the domestic game was halted by Covid-19. The Mighty Warriors had a horror show at the COSAFA Championships, last year.
They crashed out of the tournament,without a single point or a goal after they sent a hastily-assembled team, for the tournament.
The local league was last played at the end of 2019, when Black Rhinos Queens were crowned champions.
Zimbabwe have played against Botswana on a number of times in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, as well as the regional tournament.
“It’s a very fair draw, I just hope we can get the ball rolling immediately because at the end, it all goes down to preparations, especially considering that we have been out of action for quite some time,” said Sibanda.
“I am going to research more about them (South Sudan), but I know women’s football is in its prime there and they recently concluded their season, so we will have to probably analyse a few games and assess their level.’’
Last year, Zimbabwe lost to Botswana and Tanzania 0-1 in their group matches.
Botswana reached the final, losing 1-2, to South Africa. Sibanda will also use the tournament to prepare for the Africa Women Cup of Nations qualifiers, which get underway, in October.
However, ZIFA will first seek exemption, from the Sports Commission for the women’s national to be allowed to train and travel, to South Africa. Last week the Sports Commission gave the green-light to FC Platinum and Black Rhinos Queens to resume training.
COSAFA general-secretary, Sue Destombes, said with support from their partners, they will be able to host the tournament, during the Covid-19 pandemic, for the second consecutive year.
“This will be our second COSAFA Women’s Championship played during the Covid-19 pandemic, after the successful staging of the event last November, and we once again thank the Eastern Cape Province, and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, for their tremendous support,’’ she said.
“Without these valued partners, we would not be able to stage these events.
“We are also grateful, once again, to our hosts, the South African Football Association, who continue to lend their invaluable expertise.
“It is the fourth year in a row the women’s senior tournament will take place in Nelson Mandela Bay, where the support in the stands has traditionally been superb, though that will once again be an element that is missing this year, with all matches played behind closed doors.’’
Group A: South Africa, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique.
Group B: Botswana, Tanzania, South Sudan, Zimbabwe.
Group C: Zambia, Namibia, Eswatini, Uganda.
Online Reporter