Kwinji wants more

Veronica Gwaze

With the Mighty Warriors facing Namibia at the ongoing Cosafa Women’s Championships at Wolfson in Port Elizabeth tomorrow, coach Sithethelelwe Sibanda wants her charges to improve on their finishing.

Despite collecting maximum points in their opening encounters against Angola and Mozambique, the Mighty Warriors have been wasteful in front of goal.

The Mighty Warriors recorded convincing 4-1 and 4-0 wins over Angola and Mozambique but Sibanda reckons the margins could have been bigger had her charges been more clinical.

“I am happy the girls have tried to play according to our set game plan in the two opening matches.

“Like any other game, we have had weaknesses here and there but since we do not have much time to work on some areas, we need to address our finishing,” she said.

While the two victories could act as a confidence booster, Sibanda encouraged her players to approach the game with a different attitude and vision. She, however, expressed satisfaction with the way her team has been playing.

“They did very well, especially in maintaining our structure in defence. They executed it just as we had planned and agreed.

“However, that does not mean we are safe and sound. We need to be cautious tomorrow because they (Namibia) have also studied us and are prepared to take us on,” she said.

Having last featured in a competitive game in October last year at the Cosafa Cup in Port Elizabeth – where they crashed out in the group stages – the Mighty Warriors need to reclaim their glory as one of the region’s powerhouses.

“The two games are gone. We focus on the last match as a different challenge altogether.

“We need a fresh mind as we face Namibia and fight for victory, which is not based on yesterday’s performance.

“It has been long since our last big match and we simply can not relax after collecting maximum points.”

Veteran forward Rudo Neshamba has scored four goals in two games since her return from a three-year sabbatical.

“It is good to be in fine form although it is not about personal glory or individualism, but team work. As a team, each player makes the next one better, which is why we are taught to pass the ball. We are taught combinations, the game is about combined strengths,” said Neshamba.

Zimbabwe are also using the Cosafa Championships as part of the preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games qualifiers, which are set to start a few weeks after the regional tourney.