The weekend international football flavour continues tomorrow at Rufaro Stadium when the Mighty Warriors face the Super Falcons of Nigeria in an African Women Championships first leg, final round.
Mighty Warriors coach Rosemary Mugadza has challenged her charges to take full advantage of playing at home. The aggregate winner qualifies for the finals set for Equatorial Guinea in November.The Super Falcons team, led by African women footballer of the Year Perpetua Nkwocha touched down at the Harare International Airport yesterday afternoon aboard a South African Airways plane.
“We tend to play very well at home. We have faced South Africa here, who are one of the African giants but still managed to beat them. I need the team to have that positive attitude on Sunday (tomorrow),” said Mugadza.
“I have given the team a challenge to surpass what I have achieved as a player. They won the Cosafa Women Championships which I failed to do during my time but I have told them to push for more. I have played in two African Women Championships but failed to win the cup. So I want this team not only to beat Nigeria but also to win the tournament,” added the former Mighty Warriors captain.
Super Falcons coach Kadiri Ikhana said he will want to qualify for the championship to make up for the disappointment of not qualifying for the All Africa Games last year and the London Olympics.
Ikhana’s side were booted out of the Maputo games by Ghana before Cameroon beat them to the ticket for the London Games.
“We were disappointed of course because we are Africa’s best team and we need to qualify and win these tournaments. We cannot afford to lose this one again. It is very important for us to win this competition. I saw the Zimbabwe U/20 playing in Nigeria so I know their type of play. I believe they are a good side and we should give them respect. A win here will put us in a good position in the next game,” said Ikhana.
Gate charges for the match have been pegged at $2 for the rest of the ground, $5 for the upper grandstand and $10 for the VIP tribune.
