Mighty Warriors ready for Banyana

Sport
LANGTON Giwa, the man in charge of the Mighty Warriors today when they take on their South African counterparts in a friendly match at Rufaro Stadium, said his vastly inexperienced squad will not be humiliated by their more fancied opponents.

LANGTON Giwa, the man in charge of the Mighty Warriors today when they take on their South African counterparts in a friendly match at Rufaro Stadium, said his vastly inexperienced squad will not be humiliated by their more fancied opponents.

HENRY MHARA SPORTS REPORTER

The Young Mighty Warriors coach has been given the match ahead of regular senior coach Rosemary Mugadza so that he could prepare his team for the Zone 5 Games coming up this December.

Mugadza and her team have nothing to look up to for the rest of the year in terms of international tournaments after they failed to qualify for the African Women Championships.

Giwa called into camp a very inexperienced side with only seven regular players in the senior team while the rest of his 25-member squad are green horns.

South Africa who are using the match to prepare for the African Women’s Championship finals in Namibia this October, arrived into the country on Wednesday morning with their strongest squad.

There is a general feeling that the hosts will be overpowered by their more experienced opponents, but Giwa said South Africa will not play “a Brazil on his team”.

“I have a group of very talented youngsters and I have added some experienced guys to stabilise the team. I know some people are a bit sceptical about this team, but I know they are capable of beating South Africa. I did not just randomly pick these senior players, but I selected players who I have worked with before and they understand what I want from them, so it has been smooth sailing in terms of gelling with the youngsters here. I have a competitive side and we will definitely not be humiliated,” Giwa said.

The only senior players who are in camp are Rudo Neshamba, Chido Dzingirai, Merjury Nyaumwe, Felistas Muzongondi, Melody Musasa, Emmaculate Msipa and Mavis Chirandu.

This match will be the second meeting between these two sides after their first encounter in April ended in a 2-2 draw. Zimbabwe had taken a 2-0 halftime lead.

Banyana Banyana coach Vera Pauw said she expected an improved performance from his side.

“The first match we played against Zimbabwe at home was not an easy one. We made too many mistakes defensively, which we have worked on. We are now in the process of mastering our tasks when we have possession and when we do not have possession. I would like to express my gratitude to Safa and Sasol for managing to arrange the match against Zimbabwe because the more competitive matches we play, the stronger and better we become,” Pauw said.

Banyana Banyana started preparations for the Namibia finals with a 4-0 win over Botswana last month. They also beat the African Women’s Championships hosts, Namibia, 2-1 on Saturday in Windhoek.

Mighty Warriors squad: M Chirandu, L Mpaya, S Nyoni, R Kapfumvuti, S Ndhlovu, R Neshamba, C Dzingirai, M Nyaumwe, F Muzongondi, C Makondera, G Mageza, G Bhande, M Marowa, F Muchekenyi, S Nyoni, V Mharadzi, M Musasa, C Muhara, L Mapunhure, E Msipa, Y Mutsakuni, Y Mare, E Chinyerere, R Mutseneki, P Chirinda.