Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
THE Mighty Warriors will face a reality check from women’s football powerhouse Germany, 10th-ranked Canada and fifth-ranked Australia in the group stage of the Rio Olympics tournament following yesterday’s draw conducted in Brazil’s hugely popular seaside city.
World number two and two-time world champions Germany are Group F favourites in what 95th-ranked Mighty Warriors’ coach Shadreck Mlauzi said was an expected draw. Zimbabwe are also the lowest ranked side at the tournament. Germany were World Cup winners in 2003 and 2007, but have not matched that success at the Olympics where they have won three bronze medals in 2000, 2004 and 2008.
The Mighty Warriors, who made history by becoming the first Zimbabwean national soccer team to qualify for a major world tournament, open their account against Canada on August 3 at Sao Paulo’s Itaquera Arena.
Three days later, they will square off with Germany in the same city before wrapping up their Group F games against Australia in Salvador.
The top two teams in each group qualify for the knockout stage, with the top two ranked third-placed teams also joining them.
“We expected such a draw by virtue of our lower ranking compared to other teams and we just have to rub shoulders with the best and see what happens,” said Mlauzi.
“In fact, it’s another opportunity for us to go out there and show the world that Zimbabwe is also a footballing nation. It’s a moment to savour for us,” he said.
Mlauzi said their preparations have to be very thorough and they had already presented their road to Rio plan to Zifa.
“We’ve European tours that we proposed, although we now have to shelve plans to visit Germany since we’re in the same group with them. I think New Zealand will be ideal because of its weather conditions, but in a nutshell we need proper and thorough preparations,” said Mlauzi.
He said they were going to take a two-week break so that the girls return to camp rejuvenated and mentally prepared for the tough work ahead.
Speaking briefly from Rio de Janeiro where she witnessed the draw, Mighty Warriors’ assistant coach Sithethelelwe Sibanda concurred with Mlauzi, saying there is no better group in the Olympics.
“This is the highest level of competition and every group’s difficult. There’s no easy group,” Sibanda said.
Neighbouring South Africa’s Banyana Banyana find themselves in Group E with hosts Brazil, China and Sweden.
Full draw
Women
Group E: Brazil, China, Sweden, South Africa
Group G: USA, New Zealand, France, Colombia
Group F: Australia, Canada, Germany, Zimbabwe
Group F schedule
Aug 3: Canada vs Zimbabwe, Sao Paulo
Australia vs Germany, Sao Paulo
Aug 6: Canada vs Australia, Sao Paulo
Germany vs Zimbabwe, Sao Paulo
Aug 9: Zimbabwe vs Australia, Salvador
Germany vs. Canada, Brasilia
Men
Group A: Brazil, South Africa, Iraq, Denmark
Group B: Sweden; Colombia; Nigeria; Japan
Group C: Fiji; Korea Republic; Mexico; Germany
Group D: Honduras, Algeria, Portugal, Argentina