adminGeophrey Sifani Sports Reporter
ZIFA chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze has said the women’s national soccer team, the Mighty Warriors, will take on their South African counterparts Banyana Banyana in a friendly match set for January 27 at a venue yet to be confirmed.
Mashingaidze said Banyana Banyana were keen to play against the Mighty Warriors at the beginning of 2016.
“I can confirm that Banyana Banyana are keen to play us. We’re still to agree on the venue for the high profile friendly match because their team was on a break so they will brief us when they end it,” Mashingaidze said.
He said they were aware that the national women’s team’s state of fitness had decreased since their last Olympic qualifier against Cameroon. The Mighty Warriors qualified for the 2016 Olympic Games to be held in the Brazilian port city of Rio, but their technical team has complained about Zifa’s silence regarding their roadmap to keep the girls fit for the Games.
“In the new year, we’re going to ensure they get what’s due to them and that’s why the girls should go into camp in January and take part in friendly matches. We’ve assigned the competitions’ manager and technical director to sit down with the team to take a look at their roadmap, which we’ve since submitted to the Olympics committee and to the Sports Commission.”
He said they had lined up some friendly matches, training camps and other activities that are in line with the Mighty Warriors’ roadmap for Rio.
“They still have time as the finals are in August. We’re still on track since the players have taken a break because some of them were at school,” he said.
He said they were also exploring the option of resuming the national league to help the girls prepare for the Olympics.
Online Reporter