Twiga Stars assistant coach Mohamed Rishard Adolf has remained unfazed by the groupings of the African Women Championship released on Tuesday in Johannesburg.
Twiga Stars have been lined-up in Group A against hosts South Africa, five-times champions Nigeria and Mali in next month’s championship.
Adolf says on paper the group looks tough going by the historical background which rank his team as underdogs.
He dismissed widespread speculation that Twiga Stars will be in for participating rather than competing.
He said his side would train hard and they have no reason whatsoever to afraid trademark football as they will be going to South Africa as potential contenders.
Most of the media in Tanzania have branded Twiga Stars group as the ‘death’ while Adolf completely differs with the presumption.
“We have seen the groupings and we are prepared for any eventualities to play the three preliminary matches with all our hearts,” said Adolf, a former national team player.
He said Twiga Stars have qualified for the tournament and there is no way they would be ranked as outsiders in the championship.
However, Adolf said they need at least two international friendlies to stay abreast of the preparations and promote players’ confidence.
Already his team has forwarded an application to play Zimbabwe as the Tanzania Football Federation is still working on logistics.
Eight teams have qualified to feature in the African Women Championship with Group ‘B’ lining Cameroon, Ghana, Algeria and hosts Equatorial Guinea.
Twiga Stars are making their debut appearance in the biennial championship after winning the qualifier berth dispatching Ethiopia and Eritrea.
The championship now enters in its sixth edition with Tanzania leading the pack of East African teams to win the continental berth.
Matches for the tournament scheduled from 31 October-14 November will be held at the Sinaba Stadium in Daveyton and Makhulong Stadium in Tembisa, in the Ekurhuleni Municipality of the Gauteng Province.
The finalists will also represent Africa at the next edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup slated for Germany from 26 June to 17 July, 2011.
