‘We want to work on our shortcomings’
YOUNG Mighty Warriors coach Rosemary Mugadza says her side has enough quality to stand toe to toe with the continent’s power houses given adequate support from Zifa.
The Under-20 side is chasing a ticket to the Fifa Women’s World Cup to be held in Costa Rica and Panama in August.
Mugadza’s girls progressed to the next round of qualifiers after beating Malawi 1-0 at Barbourfields Stadium on Saturday.
Talent Bizeki’s 75th-minute goal gave Zimbabwe a 2-1 aggregate win over Malawi after the two sides had played to 1-1 deadlock in Blantyre two weeks ago.
They now face Ethiopia in the next round of qualifiers in March and face the prospect of playing against South Africa or Zambia and Ghana should they progress.
With such tough opponents in their way, Mugadza has pleaded with Zifa to ensure her team has more time to prepare.
“I am happy that the girls have gone through to the next stage. We hope Zifa will help us regroup early so that we have more time to work as a team. The association should give us ample time to work with the girls by having camps in between so that we rectify our mistakes and improve as a side. We want to work on our shortcomings in every department,” said Mugadza.
The win over Malawi came as a welcome relief to local football after last weekend’s Under-17 team’s disappointment. The Under-17s were hammered 7-0 on aggregate by Botswana in a Fifa Under-17 women’s World Cup first-round qualifier.
They lost the first-leg 5-0 in Gaborone and fell 2-0 at Barbourfields. — @ innocentskizoe