TALENT Mandaza has said it is a huge honour to be named the new Mighty Warriors captain, as the team prepares to take on South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in an international friendly today.
BY HENRY MHARA
The midfielder was appointed the women’s national football team’s new skipper in a surprise move, which saw her replace Felistas Muzongondi.
The demoted Muzongondi now faces an uncertain future in the team, having been dropped from the team’s first match at the Olympics in Brazil, with the armband given to Rudo Neshamba.
Admitting her surprise at being handed the captaincy ahead of other senior players like Nobuhle Majika, Muzongondi’s deputy, Mandaza declared she would do everything to lead the Mighty Warriors with pride.
“It is an honour really to be asked to lead your country. I don’t know why the coaches selected me. I was surprised when they told me the news, but I am happy at the same time. It was an opportunity I couldn’t resist, a big role to fill and I cant wait to lead the team in a match,” she said.
“I was the team’s vice-captain here and there before, but to be appointed the official captain of the national team is the proudest moment of my career. It’s a great achievement and I can’t wait to go out there with the armband.”
Mandaza’s first official match as the team’s substantive captain is this afternoon, when the Mighty Warriors take on their South African counterparts in a friendly match at the National Sports Stadium.
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The match, which the two teams are using to fine-tune their squads for the African Women Cup of Nations (Awcon), which begins next week, had been initially set for Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo, before it was moved to Harare.
While she has called on her team to do well today, Mandaza revealed the ultimate goal was to lift the Awcon trophy on December 3.
The tournament kicks off on Saturday next week in Cameroon and ends three weeks later.
“We were at the Olympics Games a few months ago and we gained a lot of experience, which we will obviously use in Cameroon. Our target is to reach the semi-final stage and from there, we will aim for the title. We are going there as favourites having qualified for the Olympics and we will have to live up to the tag,” she said.
The Mighty Warriors’ preparations have not been ideal, having started camp this week, but Mandaza said they would do with what they have.
“We have been active in our clubs, so, in terms of fitness, we are not very bad. We are almost ready for the tournament and looking forward to it.”
Meanwhile, South Africa were expected in the country yesterday ahead of today’s match.
Banyana Banyana, who were also at the Olympics in Brazil, were expected to bring all the 25 players that interim coach, Desiree Ellis has announced for the finals.
Ellis, who took over from former head coach, Vera Pauw, has kept the bulk of the squad that did duty at the Olympic Games in August.
Ellis said it was important to keep the experience in the team for this big tournament.
“We have come very close in this tournament and we believe we stand a good chance of doing even better. I have kept the bulk of the squad mainly for the experience gathered over the years and at the Olympic Games. I am more confident than ever that we will do well this time around, and I don’t mean it will be an easy task. But in terms of the selection, if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it, and what we can assure all South Africans is that we will do the best we can to emerge victorious,” she was quoted saying in the South African media yesterday.
