Mighty Warriors out of COSAFA Cup tournament

Zimbabwe's senior women's football team, the Mighty Warriors, saw their journey in the 2024 COSAFA Cup end on Tuesday following Mozambique's 1-1 draw against Lesotho. This result propelled Mozambique to the top of Group D with four points, advancing them to the semi-finals at Zimbabwe's expense.

The Mighty Warriors had shown promise with a 3-0 victory over Lesotho on Sunday, but an earlier 1-0 loss to Mozambique last Thursday hampered their semi-final chances. With only the top team from each of the four groups progressing, Zimbabwe was eliminated while Mozambique secured a semi-final clash against hosts South Africa, who topped Group A. Zambia will face defending champions Malawi in the other semi-final fixture.

Head coach Sithethelelwe "Kwinji 15" Sibanda, who took charge in September, selected a youthful squad for the tournament, leaving out seasoned players such as Israel-based forward Immaculate Msipa and Tanzanian-based midfielder Dananai Bhobho. Sibanda's focus was on giving young players competitive exposure ahead of next year's Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

This COSAFA Cup marked Zimbabwe's first major grouping this year, as well as Sibanda's debut tournament at the helm. The Mighty Warriors, who won the COSAFA Cup in 2011 on home soil, are expected to return to Zimbabwe on Wednesday afternoon, arriving at Robert Mugabe International Airport.