adminSikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Zifa technical director and Caf instructor Gibson Homela has urged the Mighty Warriors’ technical team to gather as much technical detail as possible about their Group F Olympics opponents as the countdown to the world’s biggest sporting showcase continues. The Mighty Warriors were drawn against two-time World champions Germany, 2012 Olympic Games bronze medalists Canada and fifth ranked Australia during a draw conducted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Thursday.
The girls begin their maiden Olympics games with an August 3 match against Canada in Sao Paulo and take on Germany on August 6 before winding up their Group F fixtures on August 9 against Australia.
“The draw is out now and we know our opponents. What’s needed is to get down to basics. They should study their opponents and videos of their opponents in action must be made available to the technical team who will then analyse the various playing styles and come up with a game plan according to those systems of play. It’s highly unlikely that they will change,” said Homela.
He also said the mindset of the players must also be monitored so that they don’t carry inferiority complexes to Brazil.
“That they’re playing former world champions must never be in their minds. The fact that they’re now among the top teams should be enough to put them in a better mindset.
“All teams that qualified did so on merit and none qualified through some boardroom decisions. This is what our girls must tell themselves,” said the veteran coach.
The top two teams from each of the three pools plus the two best third-place finishers will advance to the quarter-finals.
Mighty Warriors coach Shadreck Mlauzi said their preparations have to be thorough. They have already presented their road to Rio plan to the national association.
DRAW
Women
Group F: Australia, Canada, Germany, Zimbabwe
Group E: Brazil, China, Sweden, South Africa
Group G: USA, New Zealand, France, Colombia
MEN
Group A: Brazil, South Africa, Iraq, Denmark
Group B: Sweden; Colombia; Nigeria; Japan
Group C: Fiji; Korea Republic; Mexico; Germany
Group D: Honduras, Algeria, Portugal, Argentina
Online Reporter