Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Under-20 women’s national football team coach Rosemary Mugadza says preparations for their World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia haven’t been affected by the possibility of playing their home game outside the country.
All local stadia were deemed unfit to host international matches last week after Caf voided Barbourfields Stadium’s provisional clearance issued in November last year.
The National Sports Stadium and Rufaro Stadium were condemned outright and the temporary approval for Barbourfields Stadium meant all international games would be staged in Bulawayo while sorting out defects identified by the Caf grounds inspectors.
However, that momentary reprieve was suddenly annulled by the continental football governing body causing panic and embarrassment in local football circles.
The Young Mighty Warriors will travel to Addis Ababa for the first-leg on the weekend of March 20-22 before they host the Ethiopians a week later.
The Young Mighty Warriors are already in camp ahead of the encounter at the request of Mugadza, who wanted more time to prepare.
Despite the uncertainty of where her ladies will play their home match, Mugadza remains unmoved and is only focusing on qualifying to the next round.
“We do not feel the stadia issue will affect us because our motive is to play football and we don’t have a say when it comes to that matter.
“Our duty is to play football and we’ll do whatever we can to win wherever we play the match,” said Mugadza.
She is grateful that Zifa granted her request for ample time with the girls to fully prepare for the Ethiopian match and praised the players for the hard work they’re putting in at training.
“It is our hope that Zifa continues to give us this kind of support. Remember our leagues have not started yet so we need time to work with the team.”
Ethiopia cruised past Burundi with a comfortable 7-0 aggregate win in the first round of qualifiers, while Zimbabwe beat Malawi 2-1 on aggregate.
The Fifa Women’s Under-20 World Cup will be jointly hosted by Costa Rica and Panama in August. — @innocentskizoe
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