Online Reporter
Sports Reporter
Zimbabwe………………………………..…(0) 1
Botswana………………………………………0
THE Mighty Warriors overcame their final COSAFA Group B hurdle with a hard-fought victory over Botswana to secure a spot in the semi-finals.
Rutendo Makore’s goal was all that Zimbabwe needed to qualify for the knockout stages of the tournament as the best overall runners-up.
Only the top three teams from the groups qualified for the semi-finals with the Mighty Warriors joining them as the best runners-up after recording two wins and a draw in their group.
They ended up with seven points, the same as Zambia, although with an inferior goal difference.
Coach Sithethelelwe Sibanda, who at the start of the tournament expressed concern over the team’s fitness and conditioning levels, was impressed with her charges’ performance.
“I am very impressed with the record we have set for ourselves.
“We never had pre-season but you can see that, with each game, the girls are improving quite well.
“I am glad that even the pool of players we had did justice to the game, we rotated the players just to save legs and everyone who got a chance really played their heart out to represent the nation.
“Our pool was not an easy one, each team came with a different kind of competition and just like we did today (yesterday) against Botswana we managed to weather all the storms.”
Deputy Minister of Sport, Emily Jesaya, who attended the Mighty Warriors’ latest two games, congratulated the team.
“I want to say congratulations to you on behalf of Zimbabwe, we are proud of the standards you have set as women football in the country.
“You have shown the world what you are capable of doing and the vast talent that is in the country.
“Your resilience is impressive because, against the odds, you still go about and play your hearts out and this is what I admire the most about you.
“From you I have learnt that teamwork can take us far, we win and lose together and also the way that you respect each other in camp was outstanding for me for the three days that I have spent with you.”
The match was a balanced affair from the onset with Botswana staging a surprisingly strong show despite their struggles in their two opening games in which they only managed a solitary point.
Early changes by the Mighty Warriors gaffer, introducing Rutendo Makore and Bethel Kondo, changed the complexion of the game.
Makore brought expertise upfront while Kondo stabilised the midfield.
The Mighty Warriors won a number of corner kicks and some set-pieces but they could not find the breakthrough.
Makore broke the deadlock in the 80th minute with a close-range header after some chaos in the box. Zimbabwe will face South Africa in what is expected to be an explosive semi-final at New Peter Mokaba Stadium on Friday.
Mathew Masinge