Zimpapers Logo

Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
BOTSWANA senior women’s soccer team are hoping that history will not repeat itself on Sunday again and they will, once again, fall to Zimbabwe in the African Women Championships qualifier at Rufaro.Two years ago, in the same competition and at the same stage, Botswana were booted out by Mighty Warriors following a 3-1 defeat on aggregate.

However, their new coach Mmoloki Masole, who is three months into the job, believes they can deliver and qualify for the first time for the female version of the African Cup of Nations.

Botswana arrived in the capital late on Tuesday night following a tiresome road trip from Gaborone.  The Tswanas, who lost 0-1 to Zimbabwe at home, are confident that they will overturn the tables.

Yesterday, they had their first workout at Barclays Sports Club and the coach expressed confidence that they will conquer.
“We left Botswana at 3am on Tuesday and drove until we arrived this side at 10 pm. So we are very tired and today (yesterday) we were recovering, trying to loosen the muscles.

“We will have training again in the afternoon. “We will win on Sunday and progress to the next round and Zimbabwe also think that they will win. Our intention is to win and the better team of the day will win.

“We have never proceeded in this competition and we are always eliminated in the preliminary round or the first round,” he said.
The Botswana gaffer said they know what the hosts can offer.

“I saw Zimbabwe playing, they are a good team technically and tactically. It was my first time to see them play and we are ready to play them again.

Masole, who is a Fifa regional instructor, with strong bias on grassroots development, said he was still trying to get to grips with the game at this level in his first assignment with the national team.

“I am still learning the players and they are also learning my philosophy as well and this can be an advantage or a disadvantage. But it is a process and we are coping,” he said.

Botswana will be expecting a lot from their captain Bonang “Bebeto” Othagile. The player turns out for Bulawayo side Inline Academy and is a teammate of some of the Mighty Warriors like Rudo Neshamba.

Meanwhile, the Mighty Warriors continued with their preparations for the tie, which they are confident of winning and progressing to the next round where they will meet the winner between Zambia and Tanzania.

The pair of Marjoury Nyaumwe and Ruvimbo Mutyavaviri, who were nursing some knocks, have recovered and are ready to pile more misery on their neighbours.

The striking force pair of Erina Jeke and Rutendo Makore, who missed the first leg, are also back in the picture.