The Botswana National Team is currently stranded in Mauritania, where they played their opening Group C match on Saturday.
The Botswana Football Association (BFA) has issued a statement addressing the travel difficulties faced by the national football team, the Zebras, just a day before their crucial AFCON 2025 qualifier against Egypt in Francistown.
The team is currently stranded in Mauritania, where they played their opening Group C match on Saturday.
Initially scheduled to return to Botswana on Sunday to prepare for their second group game, the Zebras have encountered unforeseen logistical issues, delaying their travel plans.
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The BFA has now confirmed that the team is expected to arrive in Francistown tomorrow at 9 a.m.—a mere six hours before kick-off against the Pharaohs.
In their statement, the BFA assured fans and stakeholders that the team remains positive despite the challenges.
"The Botswana Football Association (BFA) wishes to inform the public and all stakeholders of logistical issues that have resulted in delays for the Zebras’ return from Mauritania," the statement read.
"The team, initially scheduled to arrive in Botswana yesterday midnight, encountered unforeseen complications that have affected their travel plans. The team is now expected to depart from Mauritania at 22:30 Mauritania time today and is set to arrive in Botswana tomorrow at 09:00 AM."
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Despite the delayed arrival, the association stressed the team's resilience and focus. "We want to assure the nation and supporters that the team remains in high spirits and is committed to giving their best performance," the BFA added.
The upcoming match against Egypt is still set to kick off at 15:00 hrs tomorrow, but the BFA has formally requested a postponement from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), citing concerns over the players' well-being after their late arrival.
"We have reached out to CAF to request a postponement of the match to a later time in the evening. We are awaiting a response and will provide further updates as soon as we have more information," the BFA explained.
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Botswana’s journey in the 2025 AFCON Qualifiers started with a match against Mauritania, but with the team facing such significant travel delays, their preparation for the crucial home fixture against Egypt has been severely impacted.
Despite this, the Zebras remain determined to perform at their best when they finally take to the pitch according to the federation.