Zimbabwe’s Mighty Warriors will fly home with three points after beating Namibia’s Brave Gladiators in an 2018 Afcon Women’s Qualifier at the Sam Nujoma stadium on Thursday night.
The visiting Mighty Warriors won 2-0 via goals from Marjory Nyaumwe and Mavis Chirandu in either half to complete a comprehensive away win.
The Gladiators had an early chance when a Zenatha Coleman corner kick was missed by her teammates on 12 minutes before the dangerous Nyaumwe shot inside the box past Melissa Matheus to make it 1-0 on 22 minutes from a well taken free kick by Felistas Muzongondi.
Coleman continued to be the only threat for Namibia and won a couple of free-kicks from the half hour mark, but her delivery somehow failed to connect with her teammates time and again, while her last effort was pushed over the bar by Zimbabwe’s keeper Chido Dzingirai.
Shortly after the restart, Memory Ngonda ran down the right before chipping in a delightful cross that Coleman misguided and then Nyaumwe could have scored her second as she pounced onto a loose high ball, but shot over the bar with only Matheus to beat.
Zimbabwe sealed victory on 90 minutes thanks to substitute Mavis Chirandu, who unleashed a powerful low drive into the right corner from the edge of the box past the hapless Matheus.
Zimbabwe and the Gladiators will be jetting out on Friday morning to prepare for their Sunday, 8 April return leg in Harare. The winner will advance to the second round where either Tanzania or Zambia awaits and the eventual winner will book their tickets for the finals to be held in Ghana.
