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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
ZIFA have hailed their all-weather partners, Prophet Walter Magaya and his PHD Ministries, for providing accommodation for the Mighty Warriors ahead of their Women Olympic qualifier against Zambia’s She-polopolo in Lusaka today.

The prophet has previously housed the Warriors ahead of this year’s AFCON finals, the country’s football governing body revealed the partnership helped them save about $462 000.

Magaya is now also set to provide accommodation for the Warriors ahead of their return leg to the World Cup qualifiers, when they take on Somalia next week in Djibouti.

There has been concern, in domestic football, that the Mighty Warriors — who have in the past been accommodated at the ZIFA Village — have been getting a raw deal when compared to the Warriors.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association would like to express sincere gratitude to Prophet Walter Magaya and PHD Ministries for agreeing to our request to offer accommodation to the Mighty Warriors ahead of their departure to Zambia for the Women Olympic qualifier match against She-polopolo,’’ ZIFA said in a statement.

“Prophet Magaya is a reliable and all-weather friend of the beautiful game, as such, it plausible to mention that for his splendid love of football, the man of God is a good example of partnership ZIFA needs to develop our Football. “Prophet Magaya’s commitment to the development of the game is clear as evidenced by his very often, timely partnership with ZIFA without any conditions.

“Prophet Magaya is a star who does not interfere with our game unlike others who just like policing and criticising but doing nothing for the game.

“He has not only shown passion for the game, but invested a lot in the sport, to an extent of demonstrating to the corporate world that men’s football is not the alpha and omega of the beautiful game, but it is also an avenue of empowerment for the girl child.

“Prophet Magaya’s love for the country and the beautiful game is beyond doubt, thus it deserves great appreciation, not only by ZIFA but the nation at large.

“ZIFA would like to call other corporates and individuals to follow the example of Prophet Magaya in sponsoring football and emancipating the Girl Child.’’

The Mighty Warriors would be seeking for revenge when they meet Zambia at Nkoloma Stadium this afternoon.

They will host the return leg next Sunday at the National Sports Stadium.

She-polopolo dumped the Mighty Warriors out of the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Ghana last year.

The Mighty Warriors won the first leg 1-0 in Lusaka but lost the return leg 1-2 to go out on the away goals rule.

Interestingly, the two teams also met in the 2016 Olympic qualifiers with Zimbabwe eventually qualifying for the Rio Games.

Mighty Warriors skipper, Talent Mandaza, says the rivalry between the two countries has made their encounters tough battles whenever they meet.

“In 2015 we managed to upset Cameroon when the odds were very much against us. And this time too it is the same story.’’

The winner between Zimbabwe and Zambia will in the third round meet the winner between South Africa and Botswana.