Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze
Zimpapers Sports Hub
STELLA Gotal faces her first real test as Mighty Warriors coach when Zimbabwe face Malawi away at Bingu Stadium in the second round of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Qualifiers.
Pencilled for October 9, 2026, the Mighty Warriors regrouped on Sunday with locals and the foreign legion already down to business.
Captain Emmaculate Msipa is expected to join camp by the end of the week.
The tie marks the beginning of a demanding journey for the youthful Croatian, who joined the Zimbabwean national team a month ago on a two-year contract, tasked with guiding the team back to the Olympics.
The Mighty Warriors made their debut at the Olympics in 2016 in Brazil, creating a good impression of Zimbabwe women’s football potential.
However, they have since struggled to return to the big stage, with three successive Olympic qualifying campaigns ending in early heartbreak.
In the 2024 Paris Olympic qualifiers, the team did not participate as Zimbabwe were serving a FIFA suspension at the start of that cycle.
Now Gotal has a target after being tasked with helping the Mighty Warriors make it for the second time.
“It is the beginning of a journey that goes to the Olympics and beyond, and one which needs us to work together as a nation, understanding that one result does not mean much,” she said.
“We need to build a squad that is competitive across platforms, and this will be a process . . . we are now down to business in our first camp.”
After assembling a 26-member provisional squad, opening doors to new players and returnees, all eyes will be on how she fares against a lethal Malawi, back-to-back.
The Scorchers are ranked 153rd on the FIFA Women’s World Rankings, although their recent performances show they will overtake the Mighty Warriors, who are ranked 127th.
Malawi are fresh from a historic debut at WAFCON, where they finished as runners-up, claiming silver, and come into the qualifiers full of confidence and belief.
And this becomes a statement assignment for 34-year-old Gotal.
She is expected to find a solution for the Scorchers’ fast and direct style characterised by counter-attacks and individual fire-power from world-class forwards Temwa and Tabitha Chawinga.
“We did our research and understand that they are a very strong side; we have to be tactically disciplined if we are to be able to stop them,” she said.
“They are physical, direct, and dangerous on set pieces, so we must match their intensity but keep our own identity.
“As a team, we should understand our individual roles and how best each one of us should give maximum effort in that role to make it teamwork for us to bring results.
“We also don’t want to look at their status . . . we are more interested in increasing our work rate on the pitch and executing our philosophy and style in the best possible way.”
Gotal will also become the first coach to oversee the Mighty Warriors back at home at the National Sports Stadium since its reopening last month.
When she leads the team in the return leg on October 13 at the giant stadium, she will get the feel of playing in a fan-packed home.
For the Mighty Warriors, that homecoming adds pressure.
“Playing at the National Stadium after so long is emotional for the players, and for us as the technical team because obviously you want to make a good first impression,” she said.
“I know that the Zimbabwean football fans are very passionate and love to sing, cheering their team. I wish to learn one or two of those songs because this is the vibe I love on match day.
“It creates quite the atmosphere, and this is something that we have to maintain as a team and our fans . . . so a positive result makes everything amazing.”
Provisional Squad
Goalkeepers: Cynthia Shonga (Herentals Queens); Vanessa Lunga (Platinum Royals); Delight Matigwene (Chapungu Queens); Tanyaradzwa Nyakuchena (Chesham United Women)
Defenders: Bridget Mutaurwa, Alice Moyo, Maud Mafuruse (Herentals Queens); Egness Tumbare (Correctional Queens); Nokukhanya Ndlovu (Platinum Royals); Sheila Antonio (Chapungu)
Midfielders: Christabel Katona, Daisy Kaitano (Black Rhinos); Shyline Dambamuromo (Herentals Queens); Emmaculate Msipa (Maccabi Holon); Peacemore Kanende (Ladies Young Achievers); Timukudzeishe Mudziviri (Southern United); Danai Bhobho (Nsingizini Hotspurs)
Forwards: Ruvimbo Mucherera (Maccabi Tel Aviv); Samiah Phiri (Unattached); Privilege Mupeti, Rutendo Makore (Black Rhinos Queens); Ethel Chinyerere (Green Buffaloes); Sasha Marikano (FC Atletico Uri); Farirayi Kuhudzai (Ladies Young Achievers); Praynance Zvawanda (Herentals)
