Sundaymail Editor
Online Reporters
In a day of high drama, Zimbabwe national team coach Zdravko Logarusic was granted a South African visa on Tuesday afternoon and is now frantically trying to find a connecting flight to join the Warriors ahead of Wednesday’s COSAFA Cup Group B match against Mozambique.
The expatriate coach suffered the ignominy of being turned back at OR Tambo International Airport on Monday after arriving in South Africa as part of the Warriors delegation that was heading to Port Elizabeth for the 20th edition of the COSAFA Cup.
However, the South African embassy acted swiftly to process his application.
“His papers were submitted through Visa Facilitation Services, who are now handling all visa applications to the South African embassy in Harare and the initial indication was that he would get it tomorrow morning (Wednesday),” said sources close to the team.
“But he was very fortunate that they issued the visa just before the close of business and he is now trying to get a ticket to enable him to travel and join the team in time for their midday kick-off on Wednesday.”
The late withdrawal of Madagascar from the 2021 COSAFA Cup has forced a change to the format of the competition, which will now have two groups of five teams each.
Zimbabwe were initially in Group C.
Madagascar has been unable to travel to Nelson Mandela Bay for the July 6 to July 18 tournament, which, following the decision by Comoros Islands not to take part, left the original Group B with only Zambia and Malawi.
With one of Loga’s lieutenants, Lloyd Chitembwe, blacklisted from entering South Africa, it left co-assistant Tonderai Ndiraya in charge of Tuesday’s training at Old Grey Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
Ndiraya was assisted by goalkeepers’ trainer Tembo Chuma.
Chitembwe is believed to have been blacklisted by South African immigration authorities for some mishap that happened more than 15 years ago when the former Zimbabwe international midfielder played in that country’s elite league.
There, however, have been varying reasons given for Chitembwe’s absence.
On their part, ZIFA acknowledged they were aware of Chitembwe’s persona non grata status.
With the change in format, it now means the top two nations in each group advance to the semi-finals.
COSAFA conducted a draw which placed defending champions Zambia in Group A along with hosts South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini.
That means Malawi will be in the ‘new’ Group B, which also has West African guest nation Senegal, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Mozambique.
The competition will continue on a round-robin format until each team has played four matches.
Also, teams can now use five substitutes in matches, though they must be brought on at three separate intervals during the game.
This is in line with FIFA and CAF statutes that have been extended up to the end of 2022.
Online Reporter