Zimpapers Logo

Grace Chingoma

Senior Sports Reporter

MIGHTY Warriors skipper, Emmaculate Msipa, is relieved her Spanish club, CF Joventut Almasorra, are easing their way out of the relegation zone.

They are clinging on to their place in the Segunda Division Pro after managing two wins in a row.

Almasorra beat Malaga 3-1 on Sunday evening, picking crucial points away from home, in the second level of the league competition, for women’s football in Spain.

Msipa, who has become a regular in the team, was again part of the side, which travelled for the match.

Last week, the team beat Juan Grande 2-0, ending a winless run, which had stretched for two months.

The team are now in fifth place in the nine-team league of the relegation round south.

Almasorra are left with two rounds of matches, before the season ends on May 30.

Luckily for them, both games against Cordoba on May 9, and La Solana on May 30, are at home.

Msipa’s team have now collected 23 points from 22 matches, having won six times, drawn five times and lost 11 games.

The Mighty Warriors skipper is happy about how things have turned after a dry run.

“We have moved out of the relegation zone and, if we manage to win our last games, we can even finish in the top three of our region, depending with how other teams will play,’’ she said.

“The teams above us are on 25 points, so we are not far off.

“I am confident that we will survive, everyone was worried.

“I am happy with winning the games, we have been working hard, and no one wants to get relegated.

“Yesterday, (Sunday) I played as a midfielder, and had a good game.”

Remaining in the Segunda division would be a plus for the national team captain, who is the only player currently playing outside the country.

The 27-year-old signed a one-year contract, which is performance-related.

And, Msipa who has found favour with the new coach, believes her contract will be extended, if the team survives relegation.

A number of African players are joining the Spanish leagues, with the latest being  Nigerian Francisca Ordega, who signed for giants Levante.

She becomes the second Nigerian at the club, and ninth in the Primera Iberdrola, which is the top level of women’s league football, in the country.

Msipa won the Women’s League Golden Boot, and the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe Player of the Year in 2019.

She is an inspirational figure for women footballers in this country.

Msipa is optimistic the inaugural Champions League will expose her former teammates, at Black Rhinos Queens, to a bigger platform.

The army side will begin their Champions League campaign next month, in the COSAFA region, where teams will battle it out for the sole ticket to the Champions League finals, in November.

“I was signed after impressing at the COSAFA tournament. So, this is also a chance for the players to market themselves.

“The scouts will be there, scouting for new talent so, to the players, I say just keep focused and work hard.

“Football is our livelihood and this a chance to market ourselves,” she said.