Zebras fail to go into camp for Angola tie
Mqondisi Dube | Tuesday August 28, 2018 15:59
The team was scheduled to regroup on Sunday for the crucial tie but clubs refused to release players, citing the league program. The Zebras will now start their training camp on Sunday.
Zebras coach, David Bright is a frustrated man after his plea to have to league program altered to accommodate the national team, was turned down.
'We didn't manage to start our preparations as clubs refused to release their players. I am not happy with how things have turned out as our players are not physically well conditioned compared to their Angola counterparts. I had requested that the league program be postponed, but that was turned down,' Bright said.
As it stands, the team will fly to Luanda without any international friendly match, and Bright admits, it is not an ideal situation.
Instead, he intends requesting local clubs to release their foreign players, who will form a select that will play the Zebras.
Bright released a provisional 30member squad last week, which will be trimmed to 20 before the team flies out to Angola.
The Zebras are joint bottom with the Palancas Negras without any points from the opening round of the qualifiers. Botswana lost 1-0 to Mauritania, a result which saw Briton, Peter Butler, throw in the towel, while Angola were beaten by Burkina Faso.
Both sides will be looking to get their campaign back on track.