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Grace Chingoma

Senior Sports Reporter

ZIFA have begun preparations for the Mighty Warriors that are set to take part in the last qualifying round of the Africa Women Cup of Nations next month.

Zimbabwe will host Botswana, in the first leg, at the National Sports Stadium on February 18.

The reverse leg will be played in the neighbouring country five days later.

The women’s version of the African Cup of Nations finals will be staged in Morocco in July. The tournament also serves as the African qualifier for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

A total of four African teams will qualify for the global tournament that will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand next year.

Two more countries will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs where they have an opportunity to book extra slots to the women’s football jamboree.

The Mighty Warriors are on course to qualify for the Africa Women Cup of Nations after they pulled through from the first round at the expense of Eswatini. The Zimbabwe women’s team prevailed 6-1 on aggregate last year in October.

Yesterday, ZIFA spokesperson, Xolisani Gwesela, said the team is set to go into camp next Monday.

“We will release the squad a few days before the players go into camp which is likely to start on February 1 or 2. The match will be played at the National Sports Stadium on February 18,” said Gwesela.

Zimbabwe missed the 2018 qualification when they lost to Zambia in the final qualifying round.

The 2020 edition was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The tournament which is staged after every two years is scheduled to run from July 2 to 23.

And the Mighty Warriors face a tough test against a Botswana side which is high in confidence after beating Angola 7-1 on aggregate in the first round.

Zimbabwe, on the other hand, also made light work of Eswatini who they beat 3-1 at the National Sports Stadium with goals from Mighty Warriors skipper Emmaculate Msipa, Marjoury Nyaumwe and Privilege Mupeti.

The Sithetheliwe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda-coached side went on to beat Eswatini 3-0 in their backyard in Manzini with Correctional Queens midfielder Nyaumwe on target again. Maud Mafusire and Shyline Dambamuromo also scored for Zimbabwe in that match.

But the Mighty Warriors will be wary of a stronger Botswana opponent.

The two teams met in the COSAFA Championships group stages in Port Elizabeth last year. Although Zimbabwe beat Botswana 3-0 to deny them a place to the semi-finals, the lady Zebras proved in their other group matches that they are certainly no pushovers.

Mighty Warriors coach Sibanda and her charges will have to shake off some rust and thoroughly prepare for the decisive two-legged tie.

Zimbabwe last participated at the women’s finals in 2016 in Cameroon. The Mighty Warriors’ best performance was when they reached the semi-finals of the tournament on their debut appearance in 2000.