Zimbabwe draw Tanzania in first round

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE were drawn against continental lightweights Tanzania in the first round of the Africa Nations Cup qualifiers to be held next January in Morocco.
The draw was conducted yesterday at the Caf head quarters in Egypt. Winners of the first round tie will then face the winner between fellow Cosafa members Mozambique and South Sudan with winners going through to the group stage where they will be in Group F with Zambia, Cape Verde and Niger. The road to Morocco for the Warriors begins away to Tanzania over the weekend of May 16-18 with the return leg set for two weeks later.

Second round matches will be played during the weekend of July 18-20 with group stage matches being squeezed from September 6 to November 19.

Zimbabwe will be seeking a third appearance at the finals where they have failed to go beyond the group stages on two occasions.
Four-time winners, Cameroon, will have to contend with rivals, Cote d’Ivore, DR Congo in Group D. The group arguably the “group of death” will be completed by the winner of the Swaziland/Sierra Leone – Gambia/Seychelles.

The Indomitable Lions have been absent from the last two editions of the African football tournament finals and will be seeking to make the grade this time.

Group F has record winners, Egypt, Tunisia and Senegal to be joined by the winner of Burundi/Botswana – Central African Republic/Guinea Bissau.

Reigning champions, Nigeria find themselves in Group A with South Africa, Sudan and the winner of Namibia/Congo – Libya/Rwanda.
Group B has Mali, Algeria, Ethiopia and the winner of Sao Tome e Principe/Benin – Malawi/Chad while Group C is constituted by Burkina Faso, Angola, Gabon and the winner of Liberia/Lesotho – Kenya/Comoros.

Ghana’s Black Stars are in Group E with neighbours Togo, Guinea and the winner of Madagascar/Uganda – Mauritania/Equatorial Guinea.
Group winners and runners-up of each pool plus the third best team will join hosts Morocco for the final tournament.

First Round
First leg: May 16,17,18, 2014
Second leg: May 30,31 and June 1, 2014
Second Round
First Leg: July 18,19,20, 2014
Second Leg: August 1,2,3, 2014
Final round
Day 1: September 5-6
Day 2: September 10
Day 3: October 10-11
Day 4: October 15
Day 5: November 14-15
Day 6: November 19