Mighty Warriors look to finish off Zebras

leg in 1-0 in Gaborone a week ago courtesy of a goal by striker Erina Jeke.
But, as the preliminary round action ends this weekend, there is still everything for both teams to play for and Botswana have vowed to turn the tables and stun the hosts.
The Mighty Warriors barely rested when they returned last week, breaking for two days and resuming training last Thursday.
Zimbabwe are eager to qualify for the Championships, which will be held in Malabo in Equatorial Guinea in November.
And the Mighty Warriors – if they progress this weekend – face the toughest opponents possible in defending champions, the Super Falcons of Nigeria, who had a bye in the last qualifying round.
Mighty Warriors’ attacking midfielder, Marjoury Nyaumwe, a veteran of many battles, who also featured in the last African Women Championships, in 2006, believes the weekend’s match will be a new challenge for the team.
The Aces midfielder said they were aware of the threat posed by Botswana, who are still seeking their first appearance at the continental showpiece. The Zebras have a feeling that in a year in which their male counterparts have made history by qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations, they will also emulate that and qualify for the women’s version of the tourney.
“We are working hard correcting the mistakes we made in Gaborone and we are even training harder than what we did when we played the first leg,” said Nyaumwe.
“We are treating this match as a new game and as we go into the field we will put aside the fact that we are carrying an away victory and fight for three more points at stake.
“We know that Botswana can surprise us and we are not treating them lightly at all.
“We didn’t play well as a team in Botswana as it had been a long time since we had clashed against them.
“But now we are prepared for them and we studied their play and know that we just have to shut their key players Thuto (Ramafifi) and Bebeto (Bonang Otlhagile).
“As we go into the match the first thing on our mind is to win the match and then we also want to improve our performance.
“We didn’t play well in the first match and hope we will perfect that and do well at home.”
While the bulk of the Mighty Warriors are yet to participate in any African Women Championships qualifiers, Nyaumwe, captain Onai Chingawo and midfielder Nokuthula Ndlovu have the experience of playing in the 2006 edition in South Africa.
The Mighty Warriors Class of 2000 reached the semi-finals in Johannesburg and finished fourth after they lost 6-3 to Ghana in the third and fourth-place playoff.
Zimbabwe went on to participate in the next edition in Nigeria before returning to South Africa again in 2006.
However, they failed to reproduce the form of 2000 and on both occasions bowed out in the group stages.
But former Mighty Warriors captain, Rosemary Mugadza, who led the team to that fourth place, believes her troops – who have written a fairytale by rising from the dead to win the Cosafa Championships and qualify for the All Africa Games – can qualify for the tournament again.
At yesterday’s training at Rufaro, new faces such as Black Rhinos’ Viola Ndlovu, New Orleans’ Nobunkosi Ncube and Cyclone’s Grace Chigura were battling it out with the old guard.
Veteran midfielder Ndlovu, whose absence on the left of the midfield was terribly felt in Gaborone, is back in the fold following her recovery from a knee injury. Lynette Magozore, who did not travel, is also back in training.
Squad
Onai Chingawo, Emmaculate Msipa, Ruvimbo Mutyavaviri, Samantha Peters (Mufakose Queens), Chido Dzingirai, Manyara Mandara, Tsitsi Mairosi, Erina Jeke,Danai Bhobho, Grace Chigura (Cyclone Queens) Talent Mandaza, Patience Mujuru, Rutendo Makore, Kuda Basopo, Lynette Magozore, Viola Ndlovu (all Black Rhinos Queens), Nobuhle Majika, Rudo Neshamba (Inline Academy), Marjoury Nyaumwe, Violet Bepete, Rufaro Machingura, Eunice Chibanda, Sheila Makoto (Aces), Nokuthula Ndlovu, Nobunkosi Ncube (New Orelans) Patience Masitara (Flame Lilly).