Mighty Warriors reach 4 Nations final

Zimbabwe's senior women's national football team, the Mighty Warriors, booked their place in the Four Nations Tournament final with a convincing 3-1 victory over Lesotho at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, Zambia, on Saturday.

The win marked a significant boost for coach Sithethelelwe "Kwinji 15" Sibanda and her squad as they continue rebuilding confidence following a disappointing campaign at the recent COSAFA Women's Championship.

Zimbabwe took control of the match in the 30th minute when captain Emmaculate Musipa found the back of the net to give the Mighty Warriors a deserved 1-0 lead heading into the halftime break.

Lesotho emerged from the interval with renewed energy and managed to level matters 13 minutes into the second half, putting Zimbabwe under pressure and threatening to derail their march to the final.

However, the Mighty Warriors responded positively to the setback. Substitute Ethel Chinyarara restored Zimbabwe's advantage just 10 minutes after Lesotho's equaliser, before experienced forward Rutendo Makore sealed the victory with a third goal in the 85th minute.

The result demonstrated the team's resilience and ability to respond under pressure, qualities that pleased coach Sibanda.

"We play to win and as a coach when you win you are happy. Credit goes to the team, they really played well, especially managing to restore our lead after we had conceded an equaliser. I think that is the character we want," Sibanda said after the match.

The victory sends Zimbabwe into the tournament final, where they will face hosts Zambia, setting up a potentially thrilling showdown between two of Southern Africa's strongest women's football teams.

For the Mighty Warriors, the final presents an opportunity to claim silverware and further demonstrate their progress under Sibanda's leadership as preparations continue for future regional and continental competitions.