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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
IT is a tale of contrasting fortunes this evening when the Mighty Warriors take on Botswana in the final qualifying round of the Africa Women Cup of Nations football qualifier this evening.
The match kicks off at 6pm at Obed Itani Chiume stadium in Francistown.
Zimbabwe are seeking a fifth appearance at the women’s version of the Nations Cup while the hosts are seeking to make history and qualify for their first-ever AWCON appearance.
The continental finals will be staged in Morocco in July. Today’s winner will join the other 12 countries that are also vying for a place at the finals.
Already host Morocco, Uganda and Burundi have qualified for the finals. Uganda booked a place after last round opponents withdrew while Burundi qualified yesterday after beating Djibouti 11- 1 on aggregate. Burundi beat the hosts 5-0 yesterday and they had won 6-1 at home last week.
Zambia have also reached the 2022 Women’s African Cup of Nations after a 1-1 draw against Namibia secured their qualification on away goals.
The second leg of their play-off, played in South Africa with Namibia as the designated home side, saw both teams approach the match in an attacking manner after a goalless draw in the first leg last Wednesday.
The Mighty Warriors are chasing another qualification having played at the 2016 finals in Cameroon.
Zimbabwe’s three consecutive qualifications were at the turn of the millennium when they played at 2000, 2002 and 2004 finals. In 2000 at the finals played in South Africa, the Mighty Warriors reached the semi-finals, and that fourth position remains the best-ever finish at the continental showcase.
However, the Mighty Warriors have a tall order this evening against the Mares who are on the verge of making history.
Botswana are one foot in the finals after they beat Zimbabwe 3-1 at the National Sports Stadium on Friday. The visitors scored three second-half goals from striker Lesego Radiakanyo, who fired a double, and Refilwe Tholakele.
Privilege Mupeti pulled one back for the Mighty Warriors when the scoreline was still 2-0 but the hosts failed to turn on the magic at home.
Mighty Warriors coach Sithetheliwe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda says although it is going to be a tall order to overturn the deficit, her troops can still cause an upset in Botswana’s backyard.
“We saw weaknesses of Botswana and how best we can counter-attack them. We had our chances, we missed them. So if we can still go on and create those chances, and work on our finishing I think it’s doable.
“We were home, Botswana came in and scored three goals, with the right mindset of correcting our mistakes, we can still go out there like they did and upset them in their home ground. But of course, it is going to be a tall order, and we really need a lot of mental fitness from the players,” said Sibanda.
The Mighty Warriors skipper Emmaculate Msipa, who flew in from Turkey last week, has also backed the team to do well tonight.
She believes that the team lacked a cutting edge at home, and needs to be offensive today. Msipa says the players are still hopeful of qualifying for the AWCON finals.
The coach has been closely working with her defence that made some blunders in the first leg. She has since dropped Herentals goalkeeper Lindiwe Magwede, who did not make it into the final 18-member team that travelled to Francistown aboard a charter flight on Monday.
Although the coach is unlikely going to make wholesome changes to the team, she is likely going to tweak with her defence that had Tanzania based Danai Bhobho in the starting line-up. Black Rhinos Queens defender Eunice Sibanda, who was on the bench in the reverse leg might start.
Upfront, Israel-based Rudo Neshamba, who scored a goal that was disallowed on Friday, is likely to start again and may be partnered with black Rhinos Queens forward Christabel Katona.
Last week Neshamba partnered with Rutendo Makore. In the middle of the park, the coach is spoilt for choice and has a number of options to include from the likes of Msipa, Mupeti, Marjoury Nyaumwe and Berita Kabwe.
The Mighty Warriors were last night expected to have a feel of the match venue.
Online Reporter