Mighty Warriors, U-20 in crunch Cosafa ties

MIGHTY Warriors coach Sithethelelwe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda says her troops want to make a statement against Eswatini in this afternoon’s Cosafa Women Championships group decider at Wolfson stadium in Port Elizabeth. The match kicks off at 3.30 PM. Each top team from the three groups qualifies for the semi-finals and will be joined by the best runner-up.

The Under-20 women’s soccer team, the Young Mighty Warriors, are also involved in a must win-match against Namibia this morning.

The Cosafa Championships are running concurrently at the Nelson Mandela Bay with the developmental side playing in the inaugural Championship.

The Mighty Warriors top their group with six points and Eswatini have as many points but an inferior goal difference. Zimbabwe senior team won 4-1 against Angola and 4-0 against Mozambique.

“We need an outright win to be safe and that’s what we are going to fight for in the match.

“It’s a do-or-die. We have analysed and seen their weaknesses so we will address that both theoretically and practically.

“We have rehearsed our tactical approach at training and we are ready to employ it in the game,” she said.

The coach is pleased that her team is improving with each outing in Port Elizabeth.

Rudo Neshamba and midfielder Emmaculate Msipa have also continued to find the target.

Neshamba has since contributed four goals in the two matches while Msipa has two.

Evergreen midfielder Marjoury Nyaumwe scored a brace in the match against Angola and the team is not short of goal-scorers.

In Friday’s match, the coach benched goalkeeper Chido Dzingirai, who was in goals in the opening match against Angola, and thrust in Lindiwe Magwede.

“Our goalkeepers are at the same level hence in the second game we had a different goalie,” she said.

Former skipper Onai Chingawo is the third ‘keeper in the team and might be handed a start in today’s encounter.

Chingawo had retired from the national team six years ago to concentrate on her marriage to footballer Russell Madamombe.

She has since resumed club football with Weerams.

The Young Mighty Warriors who lost their opening match 3-0 against hosts South Africa did themselves a huge favour on Saturday when they beat Mozambique 4-0 .

Rosemary Mugadza’s charges are back in contention and need an outright win to progress to the semi-finals.

Both Zimbabwe and Namibia are on three points. South Africa lead the table with six points. The top two teams in the group advance to the last four.