09 Jan 2015

As part of their All Africa Game and Olympic qualifiers preparation, the Young Zebras (Under 23) will play a friendly game with Africa Nations Cup bound Burkina Faso in Nelsprit, South Africa on January 13.

According to Under 23 coach Pio Paul, the team will leave for South Africa either Sunday January 11 or Monday January 12, adding that the main objective of the high profile game against the Stallions would be to learn from their opponents as well as gauge his team’s strength.

He said he would travel with at least 15 young Zebras payers and six senior national team players amongst them Boitumelo Mafoko, Mogogi Gabonamong, Joel Mogorosi, Lemponye Tshireletso and Topo Piet. He said the purpose of including shrewd senior players was to give them an opportunity to guide the young players since Burkina would bring their full squad.

The coach said Burkina Faso was using the friendly as part of their AFCON 2015 preparation hence they are going to take the encounter very seriously. Paul said he had wished to travel with all players but because some of the teams like Township Rollers and BDF X1 would be participate in CAF competition their respective teams could not release them.

He said after the Burkina Faso encounter, they would be travelling to Egypt to play against the young Pharaohs.

He explained that the Egypt trip would only include the Under 23. “I am happy because we are going to play strong opponent and not weaker ones as people have been complaining. All this friendly will help us to judge our strength and weaknesses,” he said.

Burkina Faso announced their 24-man provisional squad for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations on December 23 and some of the notable players that might face the Young Zebras are Abdou Traoré, Bertrand Traoré, Jonathan Pitroipa, Aristide Bancé, Banou Diawara and Issiaka Ouédraogo. ENDS