Ellina Mhlanga in CAIRO, Egypt
MIGHTY Warriors coach Rosemary Mugadza remains optimistic that her players will deliver a better performance in the second game despite the shock of their loss in Wednesday’s international friendly against Egypt here. Zimbabwe went into the game as favourites but a couple of mistakes at the back, coupled with some questionable officiating by the referee throughout the match, saw the hosts coming from behind to beat the Mighty Warriors 3-2.

The visitors had taken a 2-0 lead, scoring both goals within 10 minutes into the match, but Egypt equalised before half-time and came back a more confident side in the second half where they got a penalty in the dying minutes to emerge winners.

However, the Mighty Warriors still have a chance to redeem themselves when they take on Egypt tomorrow before their departure in the early hours of Sunday.

Mugadza said they were putting behind Wednesday’s defeat to focus on correcting their mistakes and ensure that they are ready for Bo- tswana in the African Women Championship qualifiers.

“I think we need to pick up ourselves as a team to make sure that we go to Botswana with the right frame of mind unlike today (Wednesday).

“I think the girls need to get focused for Afcon 2014 against Bo- tswana,” said Mugadza.
Mugadza blamed their defeat on the team’s failure to play their usual game but said they will do everything they can, as the technical team, to make sure the team delivers in the next game as the remain hopeful of a win.

“We lost but we need to make sure that we come right in the last game. We need to go home with a win, we don’t want to go home empty-handed.

“We will do our best as the technical team to make sure that we come right on Saturday,” said Mugadza.
The senior women national football team are playing the matches as part of their preparations for the African Women Championships qualifiers starting next month.

Zimbabwe have a date against Bo- tswana in the first round to be played over two legs and if they win the tie, they will meet the winner between Zambia and Tanzania.

The Mighty Warriors are hoping to qualify for the championships, scheduled for October in Namibia, and their technical advisor, Maxwell Takaendesa Jongwe, has indicated that they want to be among the top three to qualify for the World Cup in Canada next year.

The Mighty Warriors began their preparations last year with a number of friendly matches against countries such as South Africa and Lesotho.

The senior women national team, who arrived here on Monday morning, will round off their matches here tomorrow afternoon when they take on the Egyptians in the last game of the two international friendly matches.

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