Amaglug-glug are set to face the Zimbabwe Under-23 national team, the Young Warriors, in an international friendly in Harare on November 14, as coach Shakes Mashaba’s preparations for the upcoming Caf Championships shift into top gear.
Safa are hoping that the match against their northern neighbours will prepare the Under-23 team for the crucial Caf Championships, which will take place from November 26 in Egypt and will determine who goes through to the 2012 Olympic Games.
Initially, the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) had approached their counterparts at Safa early this month with a view of organizing an international friendly between the Warriors and Bafana Bafana.
But Safa, who have since been lured by the more appetising prospect of hosting a full strength Ivory Coast outfit around the same date that has been proposed by Zifa, have indicated that the Under-23 national team will be available for the friendly encounter in Harare.
“I can confirm that the correspondence we got from Safa is for the Under-23 team,” said Zifa chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze.
“They want to send their Under-23 team which has hopes of qualifying for next year’s Olympics Games. And, if an Under-23 team is coming, there is no point to bring our senior team and they will have to play our Young Warriors,” adds Mashingaidze.
The friendly match will greatly assist Mashaba, whose charges will have to do well against eight other nations during the Caf Championships if they are to qualify for the 2012 Olympics in London.
Amaglug-glug have been pooled with Ivory Coast, Gabon and host nation Egypt in Group A of the eight team tournament.
