We are going to Brazil to compete: Mighty Warriors skipper

Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
THE country should use the momentum created by the qualification of the senior women’s national team for the Rio Olympics to improve the standard of women soccer.

Mighty Warriors captain Felistas Muzongondi feels the nation should not miss the opportunity to build on that great and historic feat to ensure Zimbabwe build a lasting success in the women’s section of the beautiful game.

While football has always been a male-dominated sport, the Mighty Warriors feat has shown the potential that abounds in the womens’ game and the qualifications presents an opportunity to uplift football that has been in the doldrums.

Muzongondi said it was time for companies to recognise their hard work and start supporting the girl child.

“The game certainly needs sponsorship if it we are to really go anywhere. I don’t think as a country we would want this to be just a once off qualification but we should build on it and improve the standards of the game,’’ said Muzongodi.

“Currently teams are struggling because there is no funding and we have to make do with the little resources at our disposal.

“We feel companies can come in just like the way Marange Resources did in 2012 and change the face of the game through having a funded national league,” she added.

The Mighty Warriors midfielder says they are looking towards a fruitful excursion in Rio but hope preparations would be upped leading to the Games.

She said they were shocked that their last camping period during which they played South Africa’s Banyana Banyana was off as they thought it would be month long.

Figgy, as Muzongondi is affectionately known by her teammates, added that with little training sessions as a representative team they would have to work hard in their different bases and keep fit as the countdown to Rio continues with only 54 days before the Games start on 5 August.

“Every player knows they have to keep fit and we are taking advantage of league matches to ensure we are ready when called up for camp but obviously training together as a team is critical as we approach the games,” she said.

Born on 22 March 1986 in Masvingo, Figgy started playing football with her siblings, Admire and Welman, and her interest in the game grew when she was at Ndarama High, where she played for the school team and later joined Masvingo Queens.

In 2003, she moved to Chipembere Queens in Gweru and after four years in the Midlands, she joined the trek down south and was snapped up by Detroit Queens in Mpumalanga alongside some of her fellow Mighty Warriors teammates, Onai Chingawo, Marjory Nyaumwe and Ruvimbo Mutyavaviri.

Figgy returned to the local scene in 2009 and joined Cyclone Stars before settling at her current side, Mwenezana Queens last year.

She says growing up watching the exploits of former Mighty Warriors captain, Nomsa “Boyz” Moyo inspired her to work hard and dream of donning the national team jersey and it was a dream come true in 2006 when she was given her first call-up.

It has been a long and rewarding journey for the Mwenezana striker scoring 17 goals in 70 appearances and was handed the national team captaincy in 2013, playing a stellar role as the side qualified for Rio and 2016 African Women Cup of Nations.

Figgy said having exhibited her leadership skills at a young age and being given the armband during her school days and at most of the teams she played for made it easy for her when she took over the reins from Chingawo at national team level.

“The leadership roles I had been in before made it easy for me to assume the captaincy. I never felt any pressure because I learnt along the way it would affect me negatively if I felt I had to outperform others because I’m the captain,” she said.

Muzongondi said the Mighty Warriors would be going to compete at the Olympics and were not deterred by facing teams in the top 10 of Fifa World Rankings, adding beating Cameroon in the last hurdle showed they had the pedigree to pull up their own surprises.

The Mighty Warriors are in Group F together with Germany, Australia and Canada.

Muzongondi is working for Tongaat Hulett in Mwenezana Estate. Tongaat Hullet owns Mwenezana Queens and she was lured to the team after she was offered a full time job.