The Felton Kamambo-led ZIFA board has defended it’s failure to organise friendly games for the Warriors during the upcoming international break, saying there wasn’t enough time.

Zdravko Logarusic’s men, unlike their two main rivals in Group G of the World Cup qualifying Ghana and South Africa, will be inactive during the break.

The road to Qatar ought to have begun early next month but CAF postponed the matches citing the stadiums crisis on the continent and ZIFA say that announcement came on short notice hence no friendly games could be organised for the Knowledge Musona-captained side.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association advises all football stakeholders that the Warriors will have adequate preparations for World Cup qualifiers, in September, and Africa Cup of Nations finals early next year,’’ a statement, the association said in a statement yesterday.

“It is important to remind the media that the earlier decision, not to play friendly matches, was on the basis that they were close to World Cup qualifiers, which were slated for June 2021.

“The abrupt postponement of matches was too short a notice for us to organise matches, in line with standard operating procedures, during the pandemic.

We do not have adequate time, at this stage, to agree with other member associations for a friendly match, and to get necessary approvals, even if we wanted to play.

“The Sport and Recreation Commission requires a 30-day notice for us to be allowed to organise an international match while FIFA requires a 21-day notice, for us to get authorisation, to organise an international friendly.”