MIGHTY Warriors coach Shadreck Mlauzi says his team is ready to make history on Sunday when they face Cameroon in the 2016 Rio Olympics Preliminary Competition African Zone final round second leg match at Rufaro Stadium.
BY HENRY MHARA
No Zimbabwean football team has ever qualified for a major global event, but the Mighty Warriors are 90 minutes away from making it to the world’s foremost sports competition.
The team enhanced its prospects by scoring a vital away goal in a 2-1 loss to the Indomitable Lionesses in the first leg away in Yaoundé. They now require just a 1-0 win or any two-goal margin to progress, while Cameroon will need to avoid defeat to go through.
Mlauzi’s girls have been preparing for the crucial match since they returned from Cameroon two weeks ago, and the former Inline Academy coach believes the players are now ripe and ready to make history.
“Preparations have gone very well; we did not break camp, which is key. We have focused on servicing the key fundamentals of the game, that is working on the physical conditioning of players as well as the technical and tactical aspect,” Mlauzi said yesterday.
“It’s a difficult encounter because the players must have a psychological frame to compete with one of the best teams in Africa. I believe the players are mentally fit, and definitely they will cope with whatever pressure Cameroon will exert.”
Cameroon themselves, 2015 World Cup finalists and the 2015 African Games silver medal winners, have been preparing hard for this match after arriving in Zambia a week ago for acclimatisation and playing a friendly match against Green Buffalo Women’s Football Club of Zambia on Sunday.
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However, despite their opponents’ glowing eminence, Mlauzi said they were not indomitable.
“Most certainly, we can beat them. We just need to be patient in our play. The chance is there and we are most hopeful that we will deliver on the day. We have to strike the right balance between defence and attacking because we are up against a very experienced team. We have to deny them space in certain areas of the pitch and if we can manage to do that, we will be ok. I have a very strong feeling that we will qualify,” he said.
“It’s a very important game, not only for myself as an individual and the players, but also for the nation. We are a success-starved nation as far as football is concerned, so we are looking for that inspiration as a nation. We are preparing a team that will compete and be capable of giving us that success that we have so much craved for a long time.”
Mlauzi is expected to name his final squad this afternoon after playing a preparatory match with Harare City Under-19 team.
