Brave Gladiators Coach positive ahead of tourney in Zimbabwe
The women’s football team, the Brave Gladiators will depart for Zimbabwe on Saturday to participate in the 2017 Cosafa Women Championships in Bulawayo.
The Brave Gladiators will be in Group C alongside Botswana, Lesotho and South Africa.
According to the football association’s website, the Brave Gladiators are heading to their third regional football showpiece with evidently lack of game time but their coach Brain Isaacs is positive the ladies can emerge from the group stage.
“I’m positive the ladies will do us proud in Zimbabwe. We have done all we could in terms of preparations and they have what it takes to reach the next round. Facing Botswana, Lesotho and South Africa will be challenges we need to overcome as a team and the ladies know they need to believe in their own abilities for us to achieve this,” said Isaacs.
The coach added that the experience and exposure of the players in the team will also play a part. “Most of the ladies in the team featured at the continental showpiece in 2014 and have since played in some qualifiers and that exposure and experience can only do us good. The team has been part of regular visits of Germany over the years and that can also give us an edge,” he said.
The Gladiators are also boosted by the availability of European based duo Zenatha Coleman and Veweziwa Kotjipati, who plies their trade in Lithuania and Germany respectively.
“They bring a new dimension to the team and gives confidence to the other players and so that is why we remain positive and go there to compete,”added Isaacs.
The Gladiators will open the competition with a match against Botswana on Wednesday, 13 September, 10h30 and then play South Africa on 15 September, 14h00 and then finish off against Lesotho on 17 September, 16h00 in Bulawayo.
The Gladiators for Cosafa Women Championship: Agnes Kauzuu, Melisa Matheus, Iina Katuta, Uerikondjera Kasaona (captain), Twelikondjela Amukoto, Stacey Naris, Lorraine Jossop, Ester Amukwaya, Vewe Kotjipati, Juliana Skrywer, Millicent Hikuam, Thomalina Adams, Zenatha Coleman, Memory Ngonda, Shirley Cloete ,Lovisa Mulunga, Elmarie Fredericks, Elina Uulumbu, Anna-Marie Shikusho and Twanyanyukwa Anstino.
