Mighty Warriors coach upbeat

NEWLY- APPOINTED national Under17 women’s football coach Langton Giwa believes his side can overturn the 0- 5 defeat they suffered at the hands of Botswana in Gaborone in a World Cup qualifier a week ago.

Zimbabwe host the Tswana junior side this Sunday at Barbourfields.

Following that drubbing, ZIFA acted swiftly, relieving rookie coach, Garthly Chipuka, of his duties and replacing him with Giwa.

Giwa has worked with the Young Mighty Warriors before.

He is Harare City women’s football youth coach.

“I started to work on their conditioning, and the fitness has really improved,’’ said Giwa.

“Now we are working on tactical issues and I am confident that we can overturn the heavy score line.

“The young players require more coaching and enjoys football. The team is not bad at all although they lost heavily.

“We have added more new players, who had already applied for their travel documents and ZIFA are pushing for their passports,” he said.

The Young Mighty Warriors team is in camp at the ZIFA Village and are expected to leave for Bulawayo on Thursday.

The former Mufakose Queens mentor said it felt good to be back in the national team fold.

“Football is life, yes I am happy to be back and to be recognised because honestly I have contributed a lot to women’s football in the country,” he said.

Previously, the coach has guided the Under- 20 women football team to a gold medal in the Region 5 youth games.

He is not new to the World Cup qualifiers after he presided over the Under- 20 World Cup qualifiers in 2012 when the Zimbabwean team featured in their first global qualifiers ever.

Meanwhile, the Under- 20 soccer team which returned from Malawi on Monday did not break camp as they continue with preparations for the return leg next week.

Rosemary Mugadza charges drew 1- 1 with Malawi in Blantyre after the hosts forced a late equaliser three minutes before full- time.

They host Malawi next weekend with a realistic chance of progressing to the next round while the Under- 17 side has a tall order which requires them to score at least five goals without a response from

Botswana to draw level.

The Young Mighty Warriors had a spectacular collapse in the last 20 minutes in Gaborone conceding four goals.

And it seems the association believes the inexperienced Chipuka could have contributed to the team’s woes.

They host Malawi next weekend with a realistic chance of progressing to the next round while the Under-17 side has a tall order which requires them to score at least five goals without a response from Botswana to draw level with the visitors.

on October 19 last year.

Herentals won that tie 3-0 courtesy of a quick-fire hat-trick from Blessing Majarira.

However, Herentals said they will exhaust all the legal options with secretary-general Fainos Madhumbu revealing yesterday his team would contest the judgment.

“We are shocked by the judgment. The law of evidence has been rendered useless. We are definitely going to appeal this judgment,” said Madhumbu.

“We only heard it from the press that Oliver (Chirenga) was involved in such transactions.

“Surprisingly, the mobile phone which he is being accused of using to communicate with Kamuriwo is not even in his (Chirenga) name.