OUR FIRST TRIP IN 20 GOOD MONTHS

Sports Reporter

THE Warriors flew out of Harare yesterday for their first international football assignment in 20 months.

After serving a lengthy suspension, the Warriors are back in action and will play on foreign soil, for the first time in almost two years, when they take on Botswana in an Independence Cup show in Gaborone on Saturday.

Their last appearance, on foreign soil, was their sensational 2-1 win over Guinea in a group match at the 2021 AFCON finals in Cameroon.

Knowledge Musona and Kuda Mahachi were on target for the Warriors on January 18, last year.

Brazilian coach Baltemar Brito will be in charge of his first assignment as coach and will be assisted by Genesis Mangombe and Bongani Mafu.

While their hosts will be celebrating their Independence on Saturday, there won’t be the double celebrations Botswana were hoping for.

Expectations had risen that Botswana could be named hosts of the 2027 AFCON finals by the CAF leadership, which met in Cairo yesterday.

However, they decided to give the tournament to the PAMOJA joint bid by East African nations – Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

Morocco will host the 2025 Nations Cup finals.