Zimbabwe National Women’s Under 17 football star Grata Bande will be looking to get her first senior national team cap after she made it into the final 18 that travelled to Lesotho yesterday for a three-nations tournament this weekend.
HENRY MHARA
The Mighty Warriors will battle it out against the host nation and Swaziland in the weekend tourney.
The event was initially a four-team tournament, but reports from Lesotho yesterday suggested that Botswana had pulled out.
Mighty Warriors coach Rosemary Mugadza yesterday left the country for Maseru with a squad of experienced and upcoming players.
Veterans Ruvimbo Mutyavaviri, Talent Mandaza and Merjury Nyaumwe have been some of the mainstays from previous qualifiers, who made the trip, but Mugadza also appeared to be looking into the future as she has also incorporated young guns like Kudzanai Chipawushe, Tafadzwa Tsunguro and Mavis Chirandu – all regulars for the Young Mighty Warriors.
But it was the inclusion of 16-year old Bande into the travelling crew which was rather a surprise pick.
The hugely talented Vainona High School student, who has had fringe roles in the Young Mighty Warriors team, made her mark while playing schools competitions this year especially in the Copa Coca-Cola tournament where she led Vainona to the finals.
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She also led the Zimbabwe schools team at this year’s Cossasa Games in Namibia where they got a silver medal.
All this time, Mugadza has been keeping tabs on this exciting winger and the coach believes the rising star is now ready for the big stage.
Mugadza travelled without her regular strikers Rutendo Makore and Rudo Neshamba. Makore is out injured while Neshamba has excused herself to write examinations. The weekend tournament is a start of a series of preparatory matches that the Mighty Warriors have lined up for the African Women Championships qualifiers where they meet Botswana in the first round in February next year.
Another international friendly has already been secured against Egypt with the match set for December 25.
Squad: C Dzingirai, P Mukutya, E Jeke, M Chirandu, N Majika, P Khumalo, L Magwede, F Muzongondi, G Bande, M Musasa, R Mutyavaviri, E Msipa, P Mujuru, V Bepete, T Mandaza, R Machingura, M Nyaumwe, K Chipaushe, T Tsunguro, S Dube.
