Zebras face Tunisia in AFCON Opener

MQONDISI DUBE
Staff Writer | Tuesday February 23, 2010 00:00

 

With national team coach, Stanley Tshosane stating that their objective is to qualify for the finals to be co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, the Zebras will be hard-pressed to impress early in the campaign.

If the team is to progress to the finals, at least a point in Tunisia would be a huge boost to their campaign. In the teams' last two meetings in the 2006 AFCON qualifiers, Tunisia won both encounters although the Zebras earned praise for their courageous display.

The Zebras take on Chad at home in the second match scheduled for the weekend of October 08-10.

Botswana will then welcome Malawi in Gaborone in March 2011 before a return match in Lilongwe in June.Tunisia will be in Gaborone in September 2011 before the Zebras conclude the qualifiers away to Chad in October next year. Although it appears a tough draw, the Zebras have a bright chance of progressing if they manage to beat both Malawi and Chad at home and away.

It would be a tough task against Tunisia, who are favoured to top the group but the North Africans are not invincible. Group winners and three best-placed runners-up qualify for the finals.

Zebras' campaignTunisia vs Botswana 3-5 September 2010 Botswana vs Chad 08-10 October 2010Botswana vs Malawi 25-27 March 2011Malawi vs Botswana 03-05 June 2011Botswana vs Tunisia 02-04 September 2011Chad vs Botswana 07-09 October 2011