Zimbabwe national football team clears to travel Malawi for friendly match

Zimbabwe national football team has been cleared to travel to Malawi for the friendly match against the Flames at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre on Sunday, according to a news report by The Times Group.

The match was in doubt after the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) indicated that the Warriors were yet to get clearance from the Zimbabwe government as of Wednesday.

However, according to The Herald newspaper, Harare has granted the team permission to travel to Malawi for the match which falls on a Fifa calendar date.

Zifa spokesperson, Xolisani Gwesela, confirmed in an interview with The Herald that the government had indeed given them the go-ahead.

"We have been advised by the Sports Commission director-general (Prince Mupazviriho) that our trip to Malawi has been authorized. We are yet to get the official letter to that effect but it’s a huge relief.

"The coach will go ahead and name his team and they leave for Malawi on Friday today. It is unfortunate that the process took longer and some of the delays were due to the issues beyond Zifa’s control," Gwesela was quoted as saying.

Zimbabwe’s preparations for the friendly were dealt a big blow after foreign clubs declined to release foreign-based players due to travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The development frustrated Warriors coach, Zdravko Logarusic, as he wanted to deploy his foreign legion against the Flames.

Logarusic claimed that his local players lacked match fitness due to months of inactivity because of the country’s sports suspension.

Efforts to have the foreign players released were dealt a further blow after Zifa sent requests for their release either late or to wrong clubs.