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Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter

AS the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup scheduled for next months draws closer, the Zimbabwe national Under-21 side have intensified their preparations.

Focus now is on getting the team into competition mode.

Sixteen countries will converge in Potchefstroom, South Africa, from December 5 to 16.

Zimbabwe will be among those countries.

The 16 nations are grouped into four pools of four teams.

The top two, from each pool, will advance to the quarter-finals.

Zimbabwe coach, Tendayi Maredza, said they now have most of the players and they were playing more games to get the team into competition mode.

“We have made good progress, obviously, not having to stop now, it was good for us,’’ said Maredza.

‘’The girls are looking good and, hopefully, we are able to perform well at the World Cup.

“So, we are playing games at the moment, just trying to sort out our structure, shape and everything, getting the girls into the game mode.

‘’Next week, we will go into a bubble before we leave, a bit of bonding session, motivational speakers have been invited and we are ready to go.

“We are left with three players who are coming next week, two in South Africa, and one in the United States.”

The three players – the South Africa-based duo of Lilian Pope and Jenna Mathieson, and Mufaro Mazambani, who is based in the United States – are expected to join camp next week.

Zimbabwe are in Pool A, together with the Netherlands, Korea and Ireland.

Pool B consists of England, Belgium, Canada and Uruguay while Argentina, India, Japan and Russia are in Pool C.

Pool D is made up of Germany, Spain, the United States and South Africa.

Zimbabwe’s first game is against Ireland on December 5.

They will then face Korea, the following day, and the Netherlands, on December 8.

“Every opponent is going to be a challenge because we all have the same goal to win games and, hopefully, win the World Cup.

‘’I believe we have a good chance if we play well.

“The target is to progress from our group stage and we are going to try our best so that we can get into the quarter-finals.

‘’But, yes, the girls are ready to compete and we are ready to go.

“The atmosphere in the camp is very good, lots of positives, everyone is happy, looking forward to the World Cup and everyone is just ready to go now,’’ said Maredza.

The team is expected to leave for South Africa on November 29.

Team

Georgia Allardice, Mercedes Beekes, Mutsa Bera (captain), Hayley Clark, Tinodiwanashe Elijah, Simone Herbst (vice-captain), Jorja Jones, Courtney Lowe, Natalie Terblanche, Lavender Mandoza, Jenna Mathieson, Mufaro Mazambani, Mazvita Mtausi-Gwaradzimba, Khanyisile Mzizi, Lillian Pope, Alexei Terblanche, Taya Trivella, Rumbidzai Zimuto.

 Non-travelling

Stembile Chikoore, Tyla Falkenberg, Marisa Marques, Tatenda Maswera, Gugulethu Sibanda.