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Grace Chingoma-Senior Sports Reporter
BLACK Rhinos Queens will make history this afternoon when they take on Green Buffaloes of Zambia in a battle of army sides in the Champions League COSAFA qualifier in Durban.
The regional qualifiers got underway yesterday with Group A action.
Rhinos Queens, who are the 2019 local champions, will be etched in the women’s football history books for being the first Zimbabwean team to play in the Champions League.
They are in Group B, which has three sides, while Group A has four teams.
The other Group B team is TURA Magic.
South African representatives, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, got the ball rolling with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Lesotho Defence Forces yesterday.
Andisiwe Mgcoyi scored a hat-trick for Sundowns.
In another group A match, Botswana champions Double Action beat Manzini Wanderers 3-0.
The winners of the COSAFA tourney will qualify for the CAF Champions League finals in Egypt later this year.
Rhinos Queens coach, Kuda Matuwi, said he had little information about their opponents.
He has an experienced strike-force led by the Mighty Warriors duo of Rutendo “Madzimai” Makore and Rudo Neshamba.
In the midfield, he can count on veteran skipper Talent Mandaza, Felistas Muzongondi and Marjoury Nyaumwe, on loan from Correctional Stars.
“Every team has a chance to proceed, we know little about our opponents,’’ he said.
“This is not national team level but club level, so we cannot judge using national team performances.’’
Buffaloes assistant coach, Carol Kanyemba, told the Cosafa official website they were confident they will win the sole ticket to go to Cairo.
“We are definitely going to Cairo, we want to be the first ones to represent Zambia at the CAF Women’s Champions League,’’ she said.
“The challenge is there.
“The greatest challenge is having to face a team you have not met before, we don’t know what they are coming up with.
“In this competition, every team is strong, in its own way, because the first games against a new team, are always scary.
“We will put in maximum effort and try our best to get out of the group.’’
Women’s football in Zambia is on the rise.
Their national team featured at the recent Olympics in Japan and Buffaloes were well represented in that side.
“The Olympics brought a lot of confidence in the team,’’ she said. “We believe in them because of the wonderful performance they put up.
“Systems are different from the club, and the national team, so they have to blend in again with our system.
“Women’s football in Zambia is really improving.’’
Online Reporter