Story by Lawrence Trusida, Sports Editor
THE Mighty Warriors are putting the finishing touches to their preparations for the Four Nations Tournament in Zambia, which begins on June 6 and forms part of Zimbabwe’s build-up to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games qualifiers.
A decade after becoming the first Zimbabwean football team to qualify for the Olympic Games at Rio 2016, the senior women’s national side is seeking to re-establish itself among Africa’s leading teams.
The tournament in Ndola will provide crucial competitive match practice ahead of the Olympic qualifiers scheduled for October, with Zimbabwe set to face regional opponents in a bid to build momentum and strengthen team cohesion.
The preparations come amid renewed efforts to revitalise women’s football under the new ZIFA administration, with increased emphasis on international competition and player development.
Mighty Warriors captain Emmaculate Msipa welcomed the opportunity to play more international matches as the team intensifies preparations.
“We are happy to see that, as a team, the Association is prioritising us by organising friendly matches. We recently had one in Malawi, and now we are going to Zambia. These matches are helping us prepare and improve as a team,” she said.
Striker Ruvimbo Mucherera said the tournament would play a key role in helping the squad prepare for the challenges ahead.
“I am happy to be back home, and we are ready for the tournament. We understand that the bigger picture is the qualifiers, but this tournament is the perfect opportunity for the team to build cohesion and prepare for what lies ahead,” she said.
Head coach Sithethelelwe Sibanda expressed confidence in her squad, saying the players are ready to make the most of the competition.
“The girls are ready. We have been working hard to bring out the best in them, and they are equally determined to do well. We are hoping for a strong showing at COSAFA. We gave a lot of players their debuts recently, so there should be fewer nerves this time around,” Sibanda said.
She added that facing quality opposition would provide valuable lessons ahead of the Olympic qualifying campaign.
“The good thing is that we will be playing against strong opposition. Zambia is a powerhouse in the region, Kenya will bring a different style of play and physicality, while Lesotho has been improving, as we saw at COSAFA. This gives us the best possible preparation ahead of the Olympic qualifiers.”
Zimbabwe’s campaign begins with a clash against Lesotho on Saturday, as the Mighty Warriors take the first step on their journey towards a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
