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Zim friendly doubtful

Sport
AS the countdown for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations football qualifiers begins, Warriors coach Ian Gorowa says he needs foreign-based players.

AS the countdown for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) football qualifiers begins, Warriors coach Ian Gorowa says he needs foreign-based players for the proposed March 5 international match if Zifa manages to tie up a friendly for the national team.

TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA

March 5, which falls next Wednesday, is the international Fifa day for friendlies, but Zifa have previously failed to tie down opponents for the team on these dates, mainly due to lack of finance to either travel or host visiting teams.

Gabon, Rwanda, Botswana, the United Arab Emirates and Malawi have, according to Zifa, written to them expressing their interest to play against the Warriors, although a decision is yet to be made as everything depends on the funds that are available to the national association.

Zimbabwe, like the other 15 nations that took part in the African Nations Championships (Chan) finals early this year, are yet to get their share of the $250 000 prize for finishing fourth in the competition.

Warriors gaffer Gorowa told NewsDay Sport from South Africa yesterday there would be no point in fielding home-based players for the international friendly as most of them would not take part in the 2015 Afcon qualifiers.

Gorowa said next month’s match was significant in his bid to ensure Zimbabwe qualify for the 2015 Afcon as it would give him the opportunity to assess the foreign-based contingent.

The coach has used mostly local players for the four Chan qualifiers (played last year) and the finals in South Africa.

He only managed one friendly against South Africa last November where he fielded, among others, Knowledge Musona and Onisimor Bhasera and won 2-1.

And this is not enough to assess the foreign contingent.  Other critical players in Gorowa’s plans include Costa Nhamoinesu in the Czech Republic and Ovidy Karuru in Belgium.

“This is a very important international friendly. I want foreign-based players for that match, but it is said there is no money to fly them from their bases. Now it becomes very difficult for me as a coach. We would rather not play the match because to me it doesn’t make sense. Most of the locally-based players will not be taking part in the 2015 Afcon qualifiers, so it doesn’t help to play the friendly match without foreign-based players,” said Gorowa Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela, however, maintains they are still to decide on possible opponents.

“We are still to make a decision on who we can play,” said Gwesela. The Warriors will start the 2015 Afcon campaign in the second round in May. They can play, among other countries, Botswana, Swaziland, Chan holders as they are ranked 32, way off the top 21 countries that will only start playing in the final stages in September.

Fourteen teams will make it to the third round where they will also engage in two- legged contests on July 18 and August 1-3 before the final qualifiers.

The Warriors did not qualify for the Afcon finals in 2010, 2012 and 2013, but Gorowa has rebuilt faith in the national side, although the stumbling block still remains the funding for proper preparations.

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