ZIMBABWE DUPED BY FAKE TEAM
Zimbabwe's scheduled international friendly with El Salvador in
Harare on Wednesday was cancelled after the visiting team were
discovered to be fake, officials said.
The El Salvadorian side played a goalless draw with Zimbabwe in
the first of two scheduled internationals in Harare last Sunday
as part of Zimbabwe's preparations for the upcoming African Nations
Cup finals.
But the second game was canceled after reporters uncovered the
fact that the team bore no relation to the real El Salvadorian
national side and were in fact a hastily-assembled squad of club
players, put together by an Italian sportswear company who are
sponsoring Zimbabwe's kit for the upcoming tournament in Tunisia.
The visiting side left Harare before Wednesday's game and an investigation
has been ordered, officials said.
Zimbabwe are due to participate in the Nations Cup finals for
the first time. They have been drawn in the same opening round
group as defending champions Cameroon and former winners Algeria
and Egypt.
Zimbabwe are due to play a friendly against Zambia on January
18 before leaving for the Nations Cup finals in Tunisia.