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Grace Chingoma Sports Reporter
MIGHTY Warriors coach Rosemary Mugadza says it would be a disaster for the nation if they also fail to qualify for the Africa Women Championships in Zambia.Zimbabwe lost the first leg at home 0-1 and have a difficult task to overturn the deficit at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka this Sunday.
Mugadza and her charges were at the National Sports Stadium and watched in agony as the senior men’s team crashed out of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in the preliminary round after losing 2-3 on aggregate to Tanzania.
Life is also not looking good for the Mighty Warriors which carries a 0-1 deficit as they seek to rescue their campaign in the women’s version of Afcon.
A fortnight ago the Mighty Warriors were stunned by She-polopolo at Rufaro who grabbed a crucial away goal in the first leg.
Mugadza’s side will now have to move mountains and beat the neighbours convincingly in their backyard to qualify for the women’s championship to be held in Namibia in October.
Making it to Windhoek presents the top three teams at the women’s tournament with a place at the 2015 World Cup in Canada.
Mugadza, who did not preside over the first leg after losing her brother, is now back and said the players’ morale is now better and they were optimistic they will grind out a good result.
“The morale is better among the players after that defeat and we hope we will turn the tables,” said Mugadza. “We are trying to win because if we both lose, together with the Warriors, it would be a disaster for the nation that two senior teams fail to qualify for Africa Cup of Nations finals.
“It is possible to win away as you know Tanzania managed to score two away goals here and even Zambia they managed to do so. We can also do it and score past them at their home.
“At home, you tend to have pressure playing in front of your own crowd. The first leg, I understand, we missed a lot of chances and a blunder by one of the defenders made it worse and never recovered from that goal.
“I haven’t managed to see the footage but I have been advised by my assistants how the match went and we have been working with that information and it is looking good as they are displaying a positive mind at training.”
The former Mighty Warriors captain said complacency might have contributed to the first defeat by Zambia who hadn’t beaten the Mighty Warriors before.
The best result the Zambians had posted against the Mighty Warriors was a goalless draw at Rufaro in 2011 during the All-Africa Games qualifiers.
Zambia then lost 1-3 in the reverse tie as the Mighty Warriors qualified.
In friendly matches the Mighty Warriors also posted big victories and once beat She-polopolo 5-0 in Zambia.
But it was a different case a week ago as the visitors, who are now under the guidance of a new coach Charles Bwale, who was meeting Zimbabwe for the first time.
He has strengthened his squad by roping in Under-17 players who participated at the World Cup this year.
“Complacency might have contributed and when they realised that they were trailing it was too late to recover,” said Mugadza.
“I understand they could have scored at least three goals in the first half. But now this is a wake-up call and they should know there are no longer small teams in the game of football.”
The team is expected to travel to Lusaka later this week and the coach has drafted in two new players into the squad — Tafadzwa Tsunguro and goalkeeper Manyara Mandara.
Veteran defender Ruvimbo Mutyavaviri, who was injured in the first leg, will miss that game.
Online Reporter
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