By Tapiwa Chawagarira
MIGHTY Warriors coach Stella Gotal has named a 27-member provisional squad as Zimbabwe begins its quest for a place at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games Women’s Football Tournament.
The Mighty Warriors will open their Olympic qualifying campaign against neighbours Malawi in a two-legged second-round tie, with the first leg scheduled for October 9 at Bingu Stadium in Malawi.
The return leg will be played on October 13 at the National Sports Stadium in Harare, with both matches scheduled for a 3pm CAT kick-off.
Gotal has opted for a mixture of domestic experience and overseas-based talent as she prepares the Mighty Warriors for what promises to be a demanding qualification campaign.
Herentals Queens are the biggest contributors to the provisional squad, with players spread across the defence, midfield and attack, underlining the club’s growing influence on the women’s game in Zimbabwe.
Goalkeeping duties will be contested by Cynthia Shonga of Herentals Queens, Platinum Royals’ Vanessa Lunga, Delight Matigwene of Chapungu Queens and England-based Tanyaradzwa Nyakuchena of Chesham United Women.
The defensive options include Bridget Mutaurwa, Egness Tumbare, Alice Moyo and Maudy Mafuruse of Herentals Queens, alongside Nokukhanya Ndlovu of Platinum Royals, Sheila Antonio of Chapungu Queens and Saliah Johnson of Union Commonwealth.
Gotal has also provided a blend of youth and experience in midfield, selecting Daisy Kaitano and Christabel Katona of Black Rhinos Queens, Herentals’ Shyline Dambamuromo, Emmaculate Msipa of Maccabi Horon, Danai Bhobho of Nsingizini Hotspurs, Peacemore Kanende of Ladies Young Achievers and Timukudzeishe Mudziviri of Southern United FC.
The forward line features Ruvimbo Mucherera of Maccabi Tel Aviv, Ethel Chinyerere of Green Buffaloes, Samiah Phiri, Sasha Marikano of FC Atletico Uri, Farirayi Kuhudzai, Praynence Zvawanda, Rutendo Makore and Priviledge Mupeti.
The inclusion of experienced forward Makore adds an important layer of experience to a squad that also contains several players seeking to establish themselves at senior international level.
Zimbabwe received a bye into the second round of the African Olympic qualifiers and will now have to overcome Malawi over two legs to advance to the next stage.
The opening encounter in Malawi on October 9 will be followed four days later by the decisive return fixture at the National Sports Stadium, where the Mighty Warriors will have home support behind them.
The Olympic qualifying campaign provides Gotal with an early opportunity to assess her squad competitively as she begins building a team capable of challenging for a place at the Los Angeles Games.
The African qualification process is being contested through a series of knockout rounds, with the continent ultimately set to send two teams to the women’s football tournament at the 2028 Olympics.
For the Mighty Warriors, the road to Los Angeles now starts in earnest against Malawi, with Gotal’s provisional selection providing the first glimpse of the group she hopes can carry Zimbabwe through the long qualification journey.
The message from the national team camp is clear: the Mighty Warriors are back in action, and the Olympic mission begins on October 9 in Malawi before coming home to Harare four days later.
