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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

UNITED Kingdom football clubs are yet to respond to Zifa’s letters requesting the release of national team players, resulting in the delay in announcing the Warriors’ squad for Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers set for next month.

Zifa has been working round the clock preparing for the senior national men’s team’s two crucial qualifiers against Botswana and Zambia next month.

The Warriors are second in the qualifiers’ Group H with five points from four games and will be away to third-placed Botswana in the first match on March 22.

On March 30, Zimbabwe will play host to Zambia at the National Sports Stadium.

Recently, the UK issued new travel measures to visitors from 17 African nations as a measure to prevent the spread of the new Covid-19 variant. Zimbabwe and Botswana are part of the countries perceived as red zones by the UK.

Travelers that will travel to red zone countries will need to quarantine for 10 days in government-approved hotels and pay for their stay.

Warriors general manager Wellington Mpandare said a decision will be made in the next 24 hours whether or not to include UK-based players in the provisional squad.

“We are still waiting for clubs in the UK to respond to our letters. As you know, footballers playing in UK from Argentina and Portugal are not going for their international matches because their countries were included in the red zone. We’re also preparing for the worst and a decision will be made in the next 24 hours,” said Mupandare.

The Warriors’ UK-based contingent has midfielder Marvelous Nakamba, the defending trio of Tendayi Darikwa, Zemura Jordan and Adam Chicksen, as well as striker David Moyo. – @ZililoR