The Mares will face Zimbabwe in a two-legged tie in the final round of qualifiers. The north-eastern neighbours stand between the Mares and a maiden continental tournament berth. Head coach, Goalethoo 'Ronaldo' Nkutlwisang kick started preparations for the two crucial matches on Wednesday and has named her number one gloves woman, Bosija in the team.
Boseja missed the 2021 COSAFA Women Championship and the AWCON first round of qualifiers against Angola due to an injury. The Mamelodi Sundowns goal minder also sat out the whole of the 2021 Hollywoodbets Super League and the inaugural CAF Women's Champions League. Boseja was nursing a knee injury she sustained early last year and is expected to conclude her rehabilitation early this year. Boseja is joined by US based strikers, Thuto Ramafifi and Esalenna Galekhutle and Mokgabo Thanda who plays for YASA FC in Zambia as the foreign based entourage. Long serving skipper, Bonang 'Bebeto' Otlhagile will once again lead the team and with two goals already in the qualifiers, Rollers' striker, Refilwe Tholakele was also an obvious choice in the squad. "The group we selected understand the challenge ahead, they know what national duty is, it's a very important (tie) over two legs and we want to prepare to our properly and we will do our best. We hope that Batswana will come out in numbers when we play our home leg," Nkutlwisang was quoted by Botswana Football Association media. The Mares will visit Zimbabwe in Harare on February 18 with the return leg to be played on February 23 at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium. The AWCON finals will be played between July 2 and 23 in Morocco.
