Israel-based Mighty Warriors striker Ruvimbo Mucherera had a bittersweet debut for the country after she opened her goal scoring account albeit in a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Angola in the 2026 WAFCON first round first leg qualifier in Luanda on Thursday.
The 28-year-old Mucherera, who was born and raised in the US, needed just 25 minutes to find the back of the net, drawing the team level after the hosts took the lead in the first minute.
Unlike other foreign-based players, Mucherera opted to join camp earlier when the team was still here in Zimbabwe instead of going straight to Uganda.
Boasting of European Champions League experience with Lithuanian champions Gintra Universitetas where she also scored a goal, Mucherera is a massive addition to the Mighty Warriors’ side which is looking to rebuild a strong team.
While she was delighted with her debut and the goal, Mucherera was naturally disappointed with the result.
“I am very excited (about the debut and goal), but obviously the result is not what we wanted. We still have another match so that’s what we are looking forward to,” she said after the match.
“It’s unfortunate some calls went against us. We don’t always have the home field advantage in my opinion the referees help with that, but it is what it is, the game is finished but now we have to look forward to the next match.
“For me that is what I am worried about, making sure that each one of us do our job when we come on the field of play.
- Bittersweet Mighty Warriors debut for Mucherera
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“That's what I do when I come on. So the goal for me is my debut goal, yes but for me I look at it from the point that I have to go on the field and do my job every time, the best I can.”
When she joined the camp for the first time Mucherera declared that she wanted to let her playing do the talking on the field of play and she did exactly that.
“This is my first time with the Mighty Warriors. I am very excited to be here,” she said.
“For me I really don’t like talking much. I like to let my playing on the first do the talking for me.”
Mucherera has been playing professional football since 2020 and has played in different countries such as Lithuania, Finland, Portugal and Ireland while she has also spent some time with some pro teams in the US.
The new Mighty Warriors star was born on October 5, 1996, in Denver, Colorado to Zimbabweans Tapiwa and Bertha Mucherera who are boths holders Doctor of Philosophy degrees.
She also has a sister studying in the medical field, a brother, who is a fire-fighter and a younger sister who is a dancer while she majored in Exercise and Sport Science at university.
According to Mucherera, she started playing soccer at age four on a boys’ team in Lexington, Kentuckyand rose to become a Top Drawer Soccer four-star recruit, ranked among Top 150 players in the country in 2012.
All eyes will be on Mucherera to provide the goals when the Mighty Warriors host Angola in Pretoria on Wednesday.
