Botswana: Zebras prepare for AFCON

By Tebogo Lephogole

Senior national football team, Zebras players are working on their fitness level, while awaiting the arrival of coach, Adel Amrouche from Belgium, says Botswana Football Association spokesperson, Tumo Mpatane.

The team, which in curently in a training camp, will face Zambia in Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers duel in November.

The team, Mpatane said was currently under caretaker coach; Pio Paul and goalkeeper coach, Kagiso Tshelametsi. For the past two weeks players, he said, players had not touched

the ball, but focused on fitness through daily training sessions.

The current plan, he said was to bring players momentum before the Zambia game.

Mpatane said players were responding well to Paul's instructions on fitness plans.

Mpatane further said prior to camp, players underwent COVID-19 testing and conselling as measures put in place to safeguard players' welfare.

He said international-based players; Thatayaone Ditlhokwe, Lesenyana Ramoraka and Mogakolodi Ngele would join other players in November, as they were still with their respective clubs in South Africa.

He said international players' fitness level was good because they had been active in their clubs.

Kabelo Seakanyeng and Renei Batlokwa, who have been released by their clubs, he said were in quarantine.

He noted that soon they would organise match practices in order to gauge players' fitness level and their readiness to face Chipolopolo of Zambia.

Zebras captain, Simisani Mathumo, said their fitness level was not upto scratch as they had been off field in a long time.

He said his team mates had shown hunger and commitment to do well in the qualifiers.

This article originally appeared on Botswana Daily News