THE Warriors will ramp up preparations for their next Group J Fifa World Cup qualifiers set for September with rare friendly matches against Burkina Faso and Niger next month.
The first match will be against Burkina Faso on June 6 before they take on Niger four days later.
The two matches will be played in Casablanca, Morocco.
In a statement yesterday, Zifa announced that it had secured the two friendlies for the Michael Nees-coached side.
“Zifa is pleased to officially announce two upcoming international friendly matches for the Zimbabwe senior men’s national team, the Warriors, as part of ongoing preparations for future competitive fixtures,” it said.
“The Warriors will travel to Casablanca, Morocco, to take on Burkina Faso on June 6, followed by a clash against Niger on June 10. These matches present an important opportunity for Michael Nees and his technical team to assess player readiness, test combinations and build cohesion as the team continues its journey of growth and development on the international stage. Both Burkina Faso and Niger offer strong opposition and these encounters will provide valuable competitive experience for our squad," it said in a statement.
“Zifa, in collaboration with the technical team, remains committed to ensuring that the Warriors are well-prepared to represent the nation with pride and purpose. These friendlies are part of a broader strategy to give our national team regular high-level match exposure in anticipation of upcoming qualifiers and tournaments.”
Nees is expected to assemble a strong squad for the World Cup qualifiers as well as the Africa Cup of Nations finals at the end of the year.
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This year’s Afcon tournament will be staged in Morocco.
Burkina Faso are ranked 64th in Africa and always make it to the Afcon tournament.
They reached the final of the Afcon in 2013.
With the likes of former Aston Villa star Bertrand Traore in their ranks, Burkina Faso will certainly give the Warriors the test they need.
Niger are also up and coming and have produced some famous results.
They are ranked 122nd in the world compared to the Warriors who are on 116th.
Nees recently made a trip to the United Kingdom to scout for talent.
