ZIMBABWE senior national women's football team captain Emmaculate Msipa had a perfect start at her Turkish Super League side Fatih Karagümrük, scoring three goals in two matches played so far.
The league got underway on December 18 with Fatih taking on Rizespor in their first game of the season and the Zimbabwean player appears to be settling well.
Msipa weighed in with a goal in their 3-2 win.
The Mighty Warriors captain was on target again in their second match on Christmas Day when they took on Sivasspor. They won 3-1 and Msipa scored a brace in the second half.
The club is currently sitting on third place because of superior goal difference.
Speaking to The Herald yesterday, Msipa said she is pleased with the positive start at her new club and is hopeful of an interesting season.
"So far so good. Everything is okay and everything is on track. We had our first game on December 18, that's when the league started and we won. I managed to score one of the goals.
"Our second game was on Christmas Day and I scored two goals. It was a great day for me because we won and I managed to score two of the goals. So it shows everything is on track.
"It was a tough game on Saturday and we worked hard to get three points. Both my goals came in the second half, it was tough," said Msipa.
The Zimbabwean midfielder joined the Turkish side from Spanish club CF Joventut Almassora soon after her last assignment with the Mighty Warriors against Eswatini two months ago.
Her desire is to see more local female footballers making it into foreign leagues across the world and hopes to inspire and pave the way for her fellow Zimbabwean players.
"I am trying my best and I am hoping everything just works out in my favour. I am not doing this for myself but I am doing this for my nation, to raise my country's flag high.
"And I am doing this for my fellow Zimbabwean women football players because I think there is great talent in Zimbabwe. So when we play for the national team, scouts may come and scout for some players.
"So that's my aim, that's my goal here to try and pave the way for more Zimbabwean players to break through into European leagues," said Msipa.
The Mighty Warriors skipper said the level of competition in Turkey is high and they cannot afford to underrate any team.
"The competition is tough. The level of competition is very high, from the two games I have played I can say it's high because winning 3-2, with your opponents scoring against you, it means there are no underdogs in this league.
"I understand there are big teams in this league and we are currently on position three because of goal difference, so I think it says a lot about the league and we cannot underrate any team. There are no underdogs," Msipa said.
Artmotion S.Africa
