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Grace Chingoma
Senior Sports Reporter
BLACK Rhinos Queens are today set to leave for their CAF Women’s Champions League qualifiers, with the coach hoping his players are physically and mentally ready for the tournament.
They will play in the COSAFA qualifiers, which get underway on Thursday and end on September 4, in Durban, South Africa.
A 26-member squad has been in camp, for the past one week, where they had a compressed programme, dealing with physical, tactical and psychological issues.
Coach Kuda Matuwi said he has combined youth and experience and believes every team in their group, have a chance to advance to the last four.
They are in Group B alongside Green Buffaloes Women of Zambia and TURA Magic of Namibia.
Group A has hosts Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, Lesotho Defence Forces, Eswatini’s Manzini Wanderers Ladies and Double Action from Botswana.
“We know little about our opponents,” said Matuwi.
Former Mighty Warriors captains, Felistas Muzongondi, Talent Mandaza, and Rudo Neshamba, who is on loan from Harare City, are expected to provide leadership.
They also have veteran Mighty Warriors defenders Patience Majuru, Lynette Mutokuto, and Eunice Chibanda, midfielders Daisy Kaitano, Mavis Chirandu and on-loan Marjoury Nyaumwe and striker Rutendo Makore, in their fold.
“This is not national team level but club level, so we cannot judge, using the national team performances.
“Preparing for a tournament, especially at a continental stage, is a multi-faceted phenomenon.
“I tried to make sure that athletes are both physically, and mentally, ready for the task.
“We were affected by lockdowns but we also managed to devise a training plan which kept athletes rolling on.
“This included individual training schedules, and intensive psychology sessions, facilitated by the team psychologist,” he said.
The tournament serves as the main qualifier for the inaugural CAF Women’s Champions League in Egypt this year.
Only the winners of the regional tourney will proceed to Egypt.
“This is a momentous day for us in the COSAFA region,” COSAFA general-secretary, Sue Destombes, said.
“This is something that we have had on our radar, for a while, but it’s a great initiative from CAF to implement a Champions League competition and do the qualifiers at a zonal level.’’
COSAFA are hoping that, by next year, all 14 member associations will be participating in the regional qualifiers.
Women’s football received a boost last week after CAF announced that all men’s teams, wishing to play in the Champions League, should have female clubs, in their set-ups, from next year.
Provisional Squad
Goalkeepers: Precious Mudyiwa, Cynthia Shonga, Sibusisiwe Chipindura.
Defenders: Eunice Chibanda, Shevon Macheka, Gracious Mageza, Sithembile Nyoni, Patience Mujuru, Lynnette Mutokuto, Egnes Tumbare, Purity Mugayi.
Midfiedlers: Privilege Mpeti, Christabel Katona, Concillia Madotsa, Greater Bande, Nomankosi Mpofu, Viola Ndlovu, Talent Mandaza, Daisy Kaitano, Merjury Nyaumwe, Mavis Chirandu, Felistas Muzongondi.
Strikers: Mitchell Guri, Lydia Mapunhure, Rudo Neshamba, Rutendo Makore.
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