Zimbabwe secure friendly against South Africa

by Phumzile Ngcatshe

Wednesday Feb 28, 2018. 09:30

As African national teams are preparing for the upcoming 2019 CAF African Nations Qualifiers, South Africa will face Zimbabwe in a friendly.

Media reports in Zimbabwe suggest that the South African Football Association and the Zimbabwean Football Association have reached an agreement.

This will be the first international clash between the two Southern African sides since 2013, where the Warriors bagged a 2-1 win at Orlando Stadium.

The high-profile Battle of the Limpopo encounter is scheduled for March 25 in Zimbabwe as both sides prepare for the resumption of their African Cup of Nations qualifying campaigns.

It is reported that the encounter also underlines the strengthening of relations between ZIFA and the SAFA through their respective presidents, Philip Chiyangwa and Danny Jordaan.

ZIFA vice-president Omega Sibanda revealed that the Warriors would end months of inactivity by plunging into action against their southern neighbours.

"We have said we will try and utilise the FIFA dates for friendly matches and right now we are working on the friendly that we have against South Africa on 25 March,” he is quoted by The Herald.

"We last played them in 2013 and we are also saying that match at the National Sports Stadium will be in memory of the disaster that befell us when we lost our fans who perished in the stampede.

"ZIFA and SAFA are also enjoying excellent relations and it is also common knowledge that the majority of our stars are playing in the South African Premiership."