. . . It’s confirmed they have qualified

THE Confederation of African Football have quashed the confusion emanating from the ZIFA office suggesting that the Mighty Warriors have not yet qualified for the 10th African Women Cup of Nations in Cameroon this year.

ZIFA spokesman Xolisani Gwesela told our sister paper, Chronicle, on Monday that they had received a letter from CAF that suggested the Mighty Warriors will play another qualifying round in June.

Reports suggest that the Mighty Warriors were due to play Gabon, a team that has not been featuring in the qualifiers.

Equatorial Guinea, who won their matches at the weekend, qualified for the African Women Cup of Nations while ZIFA appear to have thrown the Mighty Warriors’ achievements into doubt.

Even the numbers of the final group of qualifiers who have seven teams, including the Mighty Warriors, have qualified for the finals in Cameroon and will be joined by the hosts.

However, CAF, on their official web-

time with an indisputable performance that deliver success.

“And that should help us change our attitude and should help us migrate away from a fixation that because they are women they are not capable. As it turns out that, that actually is not cor- site, confirmed that Zimbabwe had qualified for the finals in Cameroon.

“Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe are the first two teams to qualify for the 10th Africa Women’s Cup of Nations Cameroon 2016, beside the host country,” CAF said on their official website.

“Officially, the Warriors of Zimbabwe were the first team to confirm their ticket to Cameroon after a 3-2 victory over Zambia away on Sunday in Lusaka and 4-2 on aggregate.

“It is the first time since 2004 that Zimbabwe will be participating at the flagship women’s tourney, and they had to wait for 12 years to break the curse.

“Zimbabwe, due to represent Africa at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June with neighbours South Africa, had the last laugh this time after Zambia edged them in the qualifiers two years ago.

“Zimbabwe went up after seven minutes through Kudakwashe Basopo before Noria Sosala volleyed home the equaliser on 23 minutes.

rect, women can do better than man,” Hlongwane said.

ZIFA president, Chiyangwa, said the stands will be allocated to the players before the end of this week.

“I made a request and the Government responded and I think there will

“The Warriors restored their lead through Samkelisiwe Zulu nine minutes before the break, only for Misozu Zulu to level on the hour mark from the spot. On the strike of full time, Emmaculate Msipa struck the winner to complete a double over Shepolopolo.

“Zambia coach Albert Kachina was left ruing his team’s inability to qualify for the women’s version of the AFCON for a second time after making their debut two years ago in Namibia.”

Kachina said: “We wanted to score as many goals as we could but we were porous at the back. Conceding three goals at home is not good enough. The defence did not do its job. We pushed most of our players upfront and that unsettled us. Zimbabwe used a lot of pace on the right side of attack, they took advantage of their speedy winger they had,” Kachinga.

A few hours later, two-time winners Equatorial Guinea also confirmed their place after a 2-1 win over Mali in Malabo, and go through 3-2 on

be an announcement on the Warriors. But we have heard an announcement that the Mighty Warriors will be given their stands this week.

“The Mighty Warriors lived up to their name and made sure that we would be in Rio in August and then aggregate, CAF said on their official website.

“‘Nzalang Nacional’, who missed out on the last edition two years ago, needed a goal in each half from Jade Boho Sayo and Adriana Costa to qualify whilst Bintou Koite scored in between for the Malians.

“The remaining five teams will be decided between Monday and Tuesday amongst 10 teams including holders Nigeria.

“The final tournament has been fixed for 19 November — 3 December in the Cameroonian cities of Yaounde and Limbe.

Fixtures Sunday, 10 April 2016 Equatorial Guinea 2-1 Mali (1-1) Zambia 2-3 Zimbabwe (0-1) Monday, 11 April 2016 Cote d’Ivoire vs Egypt (0-1) Tuesday, 12 April 2016 Kenya vs Algeria (2-2) Nigeria vs Senegal (1-1) Ghana vs Tunisia (2-1) South Africa vs Botswana (2-0) — Sports Reporter/ CAF

to Yaoundé in November. That is the stuff any association would care for.

“As the custodians of local football we commit ourselves to resource our Mighty Warriors ahead of these important tournaments,” said Chiyangwa.

The ZIFA president said they are