Even in the heat and humidity of the densely populated Luanda, were the air is heavy and provocating, Mighty Warriors fitness trainer, Primerose Serima and Chioniso Mashada, a media wanna be, still found the mojo to square off, in a vitriolic tirade over publicity, right in front of the players and coaching staff, delivering a dampener to the morale, as the Mighty Warriors closed out preparations for this afternoon’s clash against Angola in the WAFCON 2026 qualifier, The Page reports.
The match kicks off at 1600hrs local time.
The Page learnt that Serima, more a social media rug than a coach, violently accused Mashakada of not covering her drills enough, with photogenic images, an accusation that was met with vitriol from Mashakada.
Mashakada told Serima off with words to the effect that she must concentrate on getting the girls conditioned better for the game than a retinue of pictures to paste on social media.
The response further infuriated Serima, who told Mashakada that she doesn’t know why Zifa is paying her well to deliver copy and image for the Zifa’s socials.
The slanging match continued at a crescendo and degenerated into a shouting match, an image that stunned the team, who were otherwise geared up for the match.
Head coach Kwinji 15 Sibanda, had to calm Serima before advising her to concentrate on the work at hand.
Both Mashakada and Serima do not deserve to stay with the team a minute longer, after this embarrassing display of stupidity.
Surely fighting over pictures and telling each other names, instead of worrying about the game, is an open advert for lack of professionalism.
Mashakada has a history, not the least at Dynamos, while Serima should be as far away from serious football business, as is the distance between Harare and Luanda.
Away from this madness, Kwinji has set up a team so eager to deliver the goods this afternoon.
The arrival of foreign based trio of Danai Bhobho, Yolanda Kansas and Emmaculate Msipa has added quality, surprise and mobility to the side.
So fluid has the movement of the ball been that the attack looked electric with Madzimai Makore at the tip of the trident attack.
Even with the madness of Serima and Mashakada to digest, the Mighty Warriors are set for a rolling, even in the heat of Luanda.
Buccaneering, the girls looked. Poised, they winked like crooks, looking for a scoop. Calm they sang and danced. Victory they dreamed. And they’re Mighty Warriors.
Kwinji, very unassuming yet smart, is a coach who has done her thing without much pomp, given the importance of her role. She is not as box office as a coach as she was during her playing days, yet the intelligence is unquestioned.
The Zifa president, Nqobile Magwizi joined the girls, who already had the comfort of vice president Wadzanai Mukura, Exco members Kudzi Kadzombe, a serial fanatic of the side and Alice Zeure for company.
The support for the girls bodes well for the task ahead as the Mighty Warriors requires a good start to take “home” to Pretoria on Wednesday for the second leg.
With Kwinji in charge, beautiful football is guaranteed and there is no better moment for that than a WAFCON qualifier match, away from home with a side that looks so solid and well embroidered, to give Zimbabwe a smiling chance.
The new Zifa Exco, in office for only 26 days, having given the girls everything, yes, very good money, support and luxury of having all players available too, have started branding the national teams well.
And they looked smart in every apparel chosen.
But the public display of the tiff by Mashakada and Serima needs to be disbanded away from serious business.
With the Zifa hierarchy in situ, action is expected to be taken with the swiftness of the madness displayed by the two.
Zimbabwe has enough capable, professional and competent people to be around our beloved Mighty Warriors. Not the duo.
Go Mighty Warriors Go!
When a naked women passes through a village, nobody notices her face.
@ChizuzuHope X(formerly Twitter) WHATSAPP +263715001628