
GOOD GAINS FOR COSAFA COUNTRIESThere were good gains for most COSAFA countries in the July 2009 FIFA World Rankings, with South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique and Namibia the big winners. ANGOLA INVITE BLACK STARSAngola have invited Ghana to Luanda for a friendly international in November that could be used to open the newly-built Estádio Cidade Universitária, a key venue for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. SWAZIS TRAVEL TO MALAWICOSAFA nations Swaziland and Malawi will do battle in an international friendly next month as the latter seeks to fine-tune ahead of the remainder of their 2010 World Cup/Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. BOTSWANA GO LOCAL FOR IRAN FRIENDLYBotswana will use only locally-based players for their international friendly against Iran at the University of Botswana Stadium in Gaborone on July 5. COSAFA NATIONS BATTLE IN QUALIFIERSIt was a disappointing weekend for COSAFA nations in their various 2010 World Cup/Africa cup of Nations qualifiers. CHIPOLOPOLO FACE CRUCIAL TESTCOSAFA hopefuls Zambia host Algeria in a 2010 World Cup Group C qualifier in Chililabombwe on Saturday in what is shaping up to be a vital game for both. MALAWI SEARCH FOR FIRST POINTThe battle between Guinea and COASAFA represenetatives Malawi in Conakry on Sunday looks to already be a tussle for the final 2010 Africa Cup of Nations qualification spot in Group E. NAMIBIA COURTS 2010 TEAMSGhana look set to camp in Namibia ahead of the 2010 World Cup should they qualify for the finals in South Africa. ANGOLA DRAW IN WARM-UP MATCHAngola’s stuttering preparations for their hosting of the MTN Africa Cup of Nations continued on Sunday with a goalless draw against Guinea in Lisbon. BAFANA BAFANA DROP VITAL POINTSouth Africa and Iraq laboured through 75 minutes of dull football before producing a late flourish but still ended the game goalless at the start of the Confederation Cup in Johannesburg on Sunday. BOTSWANA TO HOST IRANAfter the success of hosting 2009 Confederations Cup finalists New Zealand last week, Botswana will next welcome Asian side Iran for an international friendly on July 5. ZAMBIA GO TOP OF WORLD CUP GROUPZambia squandered several chances, including a penalty but still did enough to beat Rwanda 1-0 in their World Cup qualifier on Saturday. SOUTH AFRICA SCORE MORALE BOOSTINGSouth Africa completed preparations for the upcoming Confederations Cup with a morale-boosting 1-0 win over Poland in a friendly international at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Saturday. ANGOLA PICK SQUAD FOR LISBON MATCHAngola coach Manuel Jose has begun his new job with a preparations in Portugal for a friendly between the MTN Africa Cup of Nations hosts Angola and Guinea in Lisbon on June 14. ANGOLA CONFIRM GUINEA FRIENDLYAngola have reworked their international schedule after the arrival of new coach Manuel Jose this week. ZAMBIA OVERTAKE ANGOLAZambia moved up one place to third on the list of COSAFA nations in the latest FIFA World Rankings released on Wednesday |