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Locals to play in Bafana, Zim clash

ZIMBABWE will also be fielding an "overseas-free" squad when they take on South Africa in a friendly international between the neighbours next month.

New coach Ian Gorowa has said he will use the match to look at his local contingent, plus players based in South Africa who he knows well from his time coaching in the Premier Soccer League.

It will be the same policy for Gordon Igesund, who has a full squad for the World Cup qualifier against Botswana on September 7 but will then allow his European-based contingent to return to their clubs, leaving the locals to play against Zimbabwe three days later.

Gorowa is going one step further: he is only using home- and PSL-based players for both the World Cup qualifier against Mozambique in Harare on September 8 and the game against Bafana Bafana.

Zimbabwe are already out of the World Cup chase and their cash-strapped association could do without the unnecessary exercise of ferrying overseas players back from Europe for a meaningless tie.

Zimbabwe have players based in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Romania and Sweden. Instead, Gorowa said: "I want to give local-based players as much exposure to international football against stronger sides. I also want to have a look at South African-based players.

"We have many players there, so I have to come up with the best."

Gorowa will return to South Africa not long after being appointed coach of Zimbabwe, although he is still awaiting a contract. He is a former coach of Mamelodi Sundowns and Moroka Swallows.

He has already steered Zimbabwe to a shock away win over Zambia in the African Nations Championship qualifiers last weekend.

It means Zimbabwe, and not nemesis Zambia, play in the 16-team tournament in South Africa in January.

South African Football Association said on Tuesday that the venue for the friendly against Zimbabwe was still to be confirmed.

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