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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Mighty Warriors can heave a sigh of relief after the Caf organising committee postponed the Women’s Total Caf Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers set for next month citing poor state of stadia in certain countries and restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Zimbabwe senior women’s national team was set to engage Eswatini in the first-round, first-leg qualifier at the National Sports Stadium in Harare between June 7 and June 15 after a lengthy layoff caused by the suspension of sporting activities following the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.

Caf deputy general secretary for football and development Anthony Bafoe said their decision was in line with postponement of the men’s World Cup qualifiers last week.

“Caf organising committee of women’s football decided to postpone the qualifiers of the women Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2022 in line with the postponement of the men’s World Cup qualifiers. The reasons of the postponements were based on the actual conditions of certain stadia in Africa and restrictions related to Covid-19. The first-round will now take place in the Fifa window of 18 to 26 October 2021 and the second-round will take place in the Fifa window of 14th to 23rd February 2022,” wrote Bafoe to member associations.

Mighty Warriors coach Sithethelelwe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda had called up a 25-member squad that was set to go into camp today to shake off rust from non-activity ahead of the two-legged encounter.

The postponement gives the players a chance to build physical fitness since the local women’s Super League will be in full swing by the time the qualifiers are staged in October.

The Women’s Super League kicks off on June 15.

This should prevent the Mighty Warriors from reliving the humiliation they suffered in the same tournament in South Africa last year after a hastily assembled side was humiliated and ejected without scoring a single goal in the group stage.