Warriors set eyes on 2021 Afcon qualifiers Joey Antipas

Ricky Zililo, in Johannesburg, South Africa

HAVING comfortably booked a place in the Chan finals to be held in Cameroon next year, the Warriors have now set their sights on the 2021 Afcon qualifiers.

Zimbabwe qualified after beating Lesotho 3-1 on aggregate. The locally-based Warriors held Lesotho 0-0 draw in Maseru on Sunday following their 3-1 home win.

For the Afcon qualifiers, Zimbabwe were drawn in Group H alongside defending champions Algeria, Zambia and Botswana.

They start their campaign with a home game against Botswana on November 11, before travelling to Zambia on November 19.

“It’s good that we’ve cleared the Chan hurdle, now we shift our focus to the Afcon qualifiers. We have two crucial games next month, first against Botswana and then Zambia away. Both are challenging games because Botswana is a side that we can’t write off. Zambia have regained their mojo and are bubbling with confidence. Going into both games, it is important that we get off to a good start,” said Warriors interim coach Joey Antipas.

After the two games, which Zifa president Felton Kamambo said could be used to evaluate Antipas and his technical team before giving them permanent appointments, the Warriors will be inactive for a while, with their next match against Algeria August 31, 2020.

Zimbabwe will then play Algeria in the reverse fixture on September 8.

The Warriors will then travel to Botswana to face the Zebras in the return-leg during the weekend of October 9-11 and then wrap up their campaign at home against Zambia.

For the Afcon qualifiers, Antipas will bank on a host of international stars, who include Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba, Belgium-based striker Knowledge Musona, Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Khama Billiat, Turkey-based defender Teenage Hadebe and the France-based duo of midfielder Marshall Munetsi and Tino Kadewere.The only hiccup to the Warriors’ preparations for the Botswana and Zambia encounters is lack of international friendly games. – @ZililoR

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