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WELL DONE FOLKS . . . Mighty Warriors coach Rosemary Mugadza (right) chats with team doctor Dorothy Masawi (centre) and defender Nobuhle Majika soon after their arrival yesterday at the Harare International Airport

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
MIGHTY Warriors coach Rosemary Mugadza said qualification for the All-Africa Games was still within their reach when they take on the Black Queens of Ghana in the return leg of the qualifiers next month.

The senior women national team lost 1-2 to Ghana over the weekend in Accra but they managed to get a crucial away goal that kept their hopes of qualifying for Brazzaville, Congo, alive.

The Mighty Warriors got their goal from Emmaculate Msipa in the second half and they need, at least, a 1-0 win over Ghana in the second leg to qualify for the Games set for September 4 to 19 in the Central African nation.

Speaking soon after their arrival at the Harare International Airport coach, Mugadza said she was pleased with the way her charges played in Ghana, considering the conditions.

“We are happy with the result that we got in Ghana although it was very hot and humid and we are happy with the 10 days that we had with the girls.

“They managed to pick up themselves in the second half and managed to get that vital goal which we needed.

“They really played well against Ghana,” said Mugadza.

The Mighty Warriors went into Saturday’s tie as the underdogs as Ghana are considered to be one of the strong women football teams in Africa.

But after Saturday’s result, the Mighty Warriors coach said they just need more time to prepare and correct the mistakes from the first game for them to qualify.

“We hope that we will continue working very hard before we engage the Black Queens when they come for the return leg.

“I think we need to do our best for us to win that game and go to Brazzaville.

“We will be working on all the departments to see where we went wrong and correct those mistakes.

“We will discuss that today (yesterday) as we are going straight to ZIFA to find out what our programme is and if we are to break camp for a few days and regroup.

“We need, at least, about 14 days of serious training for us to conquer the Black Queens of Ghana when they come,” said Mugadza.

The Mighty Warriors had a 10-day camp at the ZIFA Village in preparation of this game while their opponents had a month-long camp with most the proposed friendly matches for the senior women national team failing to materialise.

This was the team’s first competitive match in six-months.

They last played South Africa in a friendly match last year in September.