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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
MIGHTY Warriors coach Shadreck Mlauzi is eager to get a number of warm up matches ahead of his team’s maiden appearance at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil next month.

Mlauzi yesterday said although they are happy with the progress the team is making ahead of the Olympics, they still need to assess their charges in a game situation before the global sporting showpiece begins.

The Games are set for August 5 to 21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but the football tournament kicks off on August 3. Zimbabwe are in Group F and will begin their campaign against two-time World Cup champions, Germany. They will then lock horns with Canada three days later with their last group tie coming against Australia on August 9.

Mlauzi made his plea for international friendlies during a visit to his team’s camp by the Minister of Sport and Recreation Makhosini Hlongwane and ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa at Bindura University of Science Education.

“So far they (players) have responded very well. We are almost there in terms of servicing all the fitness components that are needed at this level. We have worked on the technical and tactical aspects of the game. We are more than happy because we did not have any administrative challenges maybe pertaining to things like transport and securing of the grounds. The diet and nutrition as well has been excellent, so we are more than happy because this time around things have gone the way we really wanted as the technical team.

“A few weeks from now definitely with confidence I will say yes we are ready because we still need to fine tune. We still need to play friendlies because we can train here, but match fitness itself can only come from playing,” said Mlauzi.

The Mighty Warriors will be making their debut appearance at the Olympics following their qualification last October when they beat West Africa giants, Cameroon.

Hlongwane urged the girls to give it their best during the Games as he said it may be a life changing opportunity.

“This is an opportunity of a lifetime, from that platform your life may be changed forever. And therefore you need to invest your all in making sure that we come up with a decent result from Rio, that I think is very important,” said Hlongwane.

The Sport and Recreation minister commended Bindura University for coming on board to support the senior women’s side and emphasised on the importance of partnerships between the sporting fraternity and various stakeholders.

“The development of sport in the current economic circumstances will be a function of partnerships and that is important because our economy has continued to evolve in a direction that has become difficult to support sport from the fiscus. We have to innovate and think outside the box.

“What we are witnessing here is the true spirit of such a partnership where Bindura University through its academy of sport agreed to partner with ZOC, to assist in the preparations of the Mighty Warriors for Rio de Janeiro,” said Hlongwane.

Chiyangwa said they are content with the preparations the team has had so far before adding that they have secured a friendly match with China.

“So far I think I am happy, you will recall that we played South Africa as part of the preparations.

“They are playing China as soon as they arrive (in Brazil) because they are more or less staying in the same vicinity with us which is not costly. China and us have agreed, so that’s the preparation we have afoot,” said Chiyangwa.

Other delegates who visited the team yesterday include Zimbabwe Olympic Committee president, Admire Masenda, chief executive Anna Mguni, director sport development and promotion in the Ministry of Sport and Recreation Eugenia Chidhakwa and Sports Commission acting director-general Joseph Muchechetere.