JUST over a week before they face Cameroon in a crucial 2016 Rio Olympic final qualifier, the Mighty Warriors are yet to begin preparations for the match.
BY HENRY MHARA
The Mighty Warriors, who are under a new technical set-up led by coach Shadreck Mlauzi, are set to travel to Yaoundé for the first leg match to be played during the weekend of October 2-4 before the return match in Harare two weeks later.
But just 13 days before they travel to the West African nation to face off with a team that reached the last 16 at the World Cup finals as well as winning silver at the African Games finals, there is nothing on the ground to show how serious the assignment is for Zimbabwe.
Mlauzi has called in 33 players to camp and will have only three days to look at them before selecting the travelling 18.
Zifa on Monday said the team would start camp on Friday and would have just four days of preparations before making the trip to Cameroon for what promises to be a very tough match for Zimbabwe.
The team that wins this tie qualifies for the Olympic Games to be played in Rio next year.
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“Camp begins on Friday and the team should be leaving on Wednesday next week,” Zifa women football administrator Theresa Maguraushe said yesterday.
“There is nothing to worry about because the league is on and all the players called to camp are actively and should be fit for the match,” she added.
But while the bloated Mighty Warriors squad is yet to begin camp, their opponents have been active playing in major tournaments.
Cameroon competed at the June Women World Cup where they reached the knockout stage and were at the recently-ended African Games in Congo-Brazzaville where they reached the final, losing 1-0 to eventual winners Ghana.
Zimbabwe qualified for the final qualifier after Ivory Coast pulled out of the qualifiers citing financial difficulties. The Mighty Warriors had also failed to travel to Abidjan, the Ivory Coast capital, for the first leg and Zifa were fined $10 000 by Fifa. But before Fifa could formally endorse Zimbabwe’s progress to the next round, they asked for a written assurance that Zifa would make available funds to ensure the Mighty Warriors would be able to fulfill the fixtures.
The association made the undertaking that they would avail the funds.
Mighty Warriors squad: C Dzingirai, L Magwede, V Lunga, N Majika, S Makoto, F Chasi, M Marowa, H Kanyangara, C Muhara, N Machadu, P Mushonga, S Chikoore, A Five, P Khumalo, R Kapfumvuti, A Bhamu, S Zulu, P Kenende, G Bhande, S Moyo, F Muzongondi, V Ndlovu, E Msipa, M Nyaumwe, E Jeke, M Mafurutse, C Jesinau, C Dube, R Makore, R Neshamba, P Bvochora, S Nleya
