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Mighty Warriors remain focused

Sport
MIGHTY Warriors coach Rosemary Mugadza has said the rough treatment they received from their hosts South Africa will have little effect

MIGHTY Warriors coach Rosemary Mugadza has said the rough treatment they received from their hosts South Africa will have little effect when the two teams resume their growing rivalry in an international football friendly match at Dobsonville Stadium this afternoon.

BY HENRY MHARA SPORTS REPORTER

The match kicks off at 1330hrs.

The visiting team, who arrived in Johannesburg on Wednesday night, were denied access to a training facility the following day and ended up using a community ground near the match venue.

However, they were allowed to have a feel of the match venue yesterday afternoon.

Despite the unwelcome treatment from their hosts, Mugadza said the team was in high spirits and looking forward to the match.

“The treatment we got is not new in Africa and we always prepare for such eventualities when we go out although it was a little surprising considering that we enjoy a very good relationship with Banyana Banyana and they are the ones who invited us for this match. It’s probably the first time they have treated us this way off the field. We were all puzzled by this. After all, it’s just a friendly match,” said Mugadza.

“But we have spoken to the players about it and they don’t seem to be unfazed. They are all looking forward to the match. The players know the importance of winning this match. South Africa are our biggest rival in the region and also one of the top teams in the continent so beating them will be good for the girls’ confidence going into the qualifiers,” added Mugadza.

The two teams are using the match to prepare for the African Women Championships (AWC) final qualifying round towards the end of May.

Zimbabwe will play Zambia while South will battle it out against Comoros with the winners booking a berth at the AWC finals to be hosted by Namibia in October.

The ninth edition of the competition will see the top three teams representing the continent at the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada.

While this game is a preparatory match for the qualifier ahead, there is also the little issue of bragging rights which goes with it.

The two teams are arguably the region’s big sisters with very little to separate them.

They have met six times since the Mighty Warriors bounced back into the international scene four years ago. They share two wins apiece and their last two encounters, which were both played at Sinaba Stadium, ended in draws.