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Grace Chingoma Sports Reporter
ZAMBIA’S senior women football team have promised Zimbabwe a tough outing when the sides clash in the second leg of the African Women Championship qualifier at Nkoloma in Lusaka on Sunday.The Zambians, who beat the Mighty Warriors 1-0 in their backyard in the first leg, are confident they will finish off the visitors and proceed to the finals of the tournament in Namibia this year.
The Mighty Warriors left Harare by road early yesterday and were expected in Lusaka in the evening.
The Zambian media has gone to talk about the Mighty Warriors boycott of training on Tuesday and it appears they are expecting an ill-prepared side which should not give them problems.
Yesterday, Zambia coach Charles Bwale told the local media he was confident they will beat Zimbabwe.
The team has also been boosted by the recovery of Hellen Mubanga and Misozi Zulu from injuries.
Mubanga scored the priceless goal for the Zambians a fortnight ago at Rufaro.
“I am happy that they know the challenge ahead of us. It is encouraging to see that they are able to compete against each other and the level of competition is high,” he said.
She-polopolo have also been playing some friendly matches with local sides and the coach said he was satisfied and believes they will beat Zimbabwe.
However, Mighty Warriors coach Rosemary Mugadza is confident they will pull through and qualify for the women’s version of the African Cup of Nations in Namibia in October.
A grieving Mugadza, who missed the first leg after losing her brother, said the Warriors defeat has left them a big task to salvage something and bring a cheer to the local football fans.
“The players, who were obviously demoralised by the defeat at home, are now at the top again and are looking forward to the second match which they believe will win as they have been working hard at training.
“We have to win because if we both lose, together with the Warriors, it would be a disaster for the nation that the two senior teams fail to qualify for Africa Cup of Nations finals.
“A win in Lusaka is very possible. They managed to score here and we have an advantage in that if we score an early goal and we add another one they would be under pressure and may fail to recover.
“At home you tend to have pressure playing in front of your own crowd. The first leg I understand that we missed a lot of chances and a blunder by one of the defenders made it worse and we never recovered from that goal,” she said.
The Mighty Warriors have been preaching about the need for an early goal and would be looking up to strikers Rudo Neshamba, Rutendo Makore, Erina Jeke and Kuda Basopo
The team would also be looking for inspiration from skipper Felistas Muzongondi whose brace once destroyed the opponents in an international friendly at Hwange Colliery Stadium.
Mugadza is hoping her team erases the deficit and beat the hosts in their backyard.
Online Reporter