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Zimbabwe lost 0-2 to Nigeria in the reverse tie of the women’s version of the Africa Cup of Nations at Rufaro three weeks ago, and the winner of the two-leg match this weekend will qualify for the tournament which will be held in Equatorial Guinea this November.
Yesterday, the Cosafa champions had a double session at the match venue which has artificial turf and the technical advisor Maxwell Takaendesa Jongwe emerged from the workout positive that they can conjure a positive result.
“We travelled well arriving in the late hours of Wednesday but the players managed to get enough rest before our yesterday sessions. The match pitch is slightly heavy and despite the fact that it has been raining heavily the weather conditions seem to be more favourable than the last time when we came with the Under-20 team, and are similar to the conditions back home.
“This time we just hope we will be able to put away our chances unlike at home where we created but failed to score.
“The way we looked at the game when they came to Zimbabwe, they came flat out at us and I don’t foresee them playing a different game, and that gives us a lot of confidence. If we just raise our conversion rate we are capable of winning the game,” he said.
Jongwe, who is the head of the technical department, and was here three months ago with the Young Mighty Warriors when they lost 0-3 to Nigeria junior side is aware of the task at hand.
But the former Kiglon mentor believes they have worked on their grey areas — mainly the strike force.
“One of the major areas which let us down was finishing and we also hope that this time we would be more compact in our defence,” he said.
The team has also been left with limited options upfront following the injury of Black Rhinos duo of Rufaro Machingura and Rutendo Makore.
The strikers were withdrawn by their club doctors who said they got injured in the first leg at Rufaro.
However, Jongwe said they have enough depth to do the job here.
“The players we have here are capable of giving us good results.
“As much as we would have wanted them to be part of the game, they are injured and we have to move on.
“And if you go slightly back in these qualifiers starting from the Botswana match you will see that these players didn’t do much for the senior team and so the girls here should be able to deliver,” said Jongwe.
While Zimbabwe were arriving for the return leg, their hosts stepped up their preparations with their gaffer Kadiri Ikhana drafting three more players from the Under-20 side, the Falconets, who have just qualified for the World Cup.
Falconets trio of Ngozi Orji, Francsica Ordega and Osinachi Ohale, who troubled the Young Mighty Warriors in the World Cup qualifiers beating them 6-0 are training with the senior team adding up to six, the number of junior players who have been called up to the senior team.
The Sweden quartet of Perpetua Nkwocha, Rita Chikwelu, Faith Ikidi and Helen Ukaonu also joined their teammates this week from their European base as the World Cup finalists, who have made their intention clear that they will qualify for the Malabo tournament, assemble a strong squad.
Online Reporter