Zebras miss Independence opportunity
Mqondisi Dube | Saturday October 5, 2024 11:01
Botswana is bottom of Group C without a win or a goal in two matches played last month. The Zebras kicked off their campaign with a battling 1-0 away loss to Mauritania before a 4-0 mauling at the hands of Egypt at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium. There was drama as the Zebras were stuck in Mauritania meaning they arrived only hours before the kick-off of their game against the Pharaohs. Next weekend, the Zebras are in Cape Verde for their third match and a loss would effectively see Didier da Rosa Gomes' boys end their interest in the qualifiers. They then host the Islanders four days later at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium.
The Zebras have remained inactive since their defeat to Egypt, after failing to utilise the Independence Day holiday window. Instead, the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture organised the legends match involving former Zebras and Bafana Bafana. The ministry spent P1.3 million on the match as the Zebras will now go into an international assignment without playing a friendly match. 'We wanted to avoid injuries,' Sport minister, Tumiso Rakgare told MmegiSport. Asked if it would not have been prudent to arrange a friendly match for the Zebras, Botswana Football Association (BFA) CEO, Mfolo Mfolo, said the decision lay with the ministry. 'Ordinarily, the Independence Day celebrations and the activities thereof are controlled by the ministry. As much as it might have been our liking to play the Zebras in a practice match, the underlying point is that we have to respect what our principals have decided as the events lined up for Independence Day celebrations,' Mfolo said.
As part of Independence Day celebrations in the recent past, the Zebras have played the likes of Angola, Liberia, and Zimbabwe. But this year, the ministry opted for a legends game. The Zebras have had a difficult start with qualification to the 2025 AFCON finals and are in danger after two damaging defeats. The top two teams qualify for next year's finals to be held in Morocco.