ZIMBABWE'S friendly match against Botswana appeared in shambles after several key players dropped from the squad while the depleted team failed to leave Harare as scheduled yesterday.

Warriors coach Norman Mapeza had named a strong 23-member squad for the match, but eight foreign-based players confirmed they will not be able to make the trip.

Defenders Zhaimu Jambo and Carlington Nyado-mbo were ruled out through injury while Knowledge Musona, Ovidy Karuru, Edward Sadomba, Tinashe Nengomasha, Tafadzwa Rusike and Khama Billiat are also unavailable.

This left Mapeza with 15 players from the original list and the number could go down as Nyasha Mushekwi, Willard Katsande and Thomas Sweswe had not communicated their positions to the association by late yesterday.

Nonetheless, team manager Wellington Mpandare said they had called FC Platinum leftback Qadr Amini to beef up the squad while more players could be added today.

Mpandare said they had also considered Erick Mudzingwa, but they dropped the plans after realising that the Highlanders midfielder was battling injury.

"We are in a difficult situation. First the travel arrangements are not very clear and I think we will now leave Harare and join others in Bulawayo tomorrow (today)," said Mpandare.

"There are also some players who have dropped out from the original squad. Jambo was injured in Keizer Chiefs' last game against Amazulu and has been assessed by our doctors and here they confirmed he is not fit to play.

"Ovidy and Knowledge were in South Africa on holiday for the past few days and we now hear they have gone back to Europe.

"Sadomba is still around but has said that he is not match fit while Nengomasha has asked to be excused to sort out pressing family issues in South Africa."

The technical team appeared out of control of the events surrounding the match as they were stranded at the Zifa offices for the better part of the day waiting for transport to travel to Bulawayo.

The team was scheduled to leave for Bulawayo by midday yesterday but they were forced to change the plans after the association failed to secure transport on time.

The Warriors are now expected to leave for Bulawayo today where they will pick up goalkeeper Tapiwa Kapini, Joel Ngodzo and leftback Vusa Nyoni, en route to Botswana.

Zifa Communications manager Nicky Moyo-Dhlamini confirmed the travel arrangement and said the team is expected to arrive in Gaborone by Friday.

"They were supposed to leave for Bulawayo today (yesterday) but we only managed to get the bus late.

"They will now leave tomorrow (today) but we are yet to confirm the departure time," said Dhlamini.

"Everything was prepared for them to have a training session at Luveve Stadium before leaving for Botswana but with the time left they will now go straight to Gaborone."

However, Zifa should take the flak for communicating late with the players and the technical team, and also getting it wrong on logistical preparations.

Despite being aware of the game from November, the national association waited until the last minute to plan for the trip.

Now it appears the players were put off by the idea of having to travel the long distance to Gaborone by road, with very little time to prepare for the game.

The players only received formal communication on Sunday and others had not responded to the call by yesterday.

The Warriors technical department only learnt yesterday that German's TSG Hoffenheim striker Musona and midfielder Karuru who is based in France had already returned to their bases in Europe after rounding off their holidays in Johannesburg.

Zimbabwe suffered another blow when Ajax Cape Town turned down their request for the release of the midfield duo of Billiat and Rusike despite the club being inactive because of the South Africa Premiership break, which ends mid February.

The Urban Warriors team manager Max Grunewald wrote to Zifa yesterday and said they would not avail the players because Zifa had communicated with them late and that the match does not fall inside the Fifa calendar.

Grunewald also threatened that they will not release Zimbabwe players at Ajax in future if the call-up letters do not reach them 15 days prior to the match, in accordance with the Fifa regulations.

"This match is scheduled outside of the Fifa calendar and we do not like to interfere in our players' deserved holidays. Furthermore we would like to bring again to your attention, we are expecting to receive call up letters for our players in due time.

"According to Fifa law and ‘Regulations on the Statutes and Transfer of Players', we are supposed to receive call up letters 15 days prior to the match . . . We made your association as well as the team manager Sharif Mussa several times already aware of these rules mentioned above - so far with no success.

"Please note in future we will not regard any call-ups which will be received after the above-mentioned Fifa guidelines and time periods and we will not release our players," said Grunewald.

Squad

Goalkeepers

Tapuwa Kapini, Washington Arubi, George Chigova.

Defenders

Tapiwa Kumbuyani, Gilbert Mapemba, Vusa Nyoni, Daniel Veremu, Lincolin Zvasiya, Thomas Sweswe, Qadr AminiMidfielders: Denver Mukamba, Ramson Zhuwawo, Willard Katsande, Joel Ngodzo

Strikers

Nyasha Mushekwi, Cuthbert Malajila.