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Grace Chingoma – Senior Sports Reporter
IT will be clearer in the next hour or so if the France-based duo of Tino Kadewere and Marshal Munetsi are coming home tonight as Government to Government negotiations have been activated with their regional counterparts to use a single private plane for their return to Europe after the African Cup of Nations football matches.

Since yesterday ZIFA president Felton Kamambo was in virtual meetings with some southern region football associations counterparts, who also have players in the French leagues.

Madagascar have the biggest representation in the southern bloc with 16 players plying their trade in France.

The European league finally agreed to release players for international duty provided their federations have a written commitment to the French football federation that they will fly back the players on a private plane.

Some of the requirements are that during the international matches, the players and their football federations respect the sanitary bubble.

This morning Kamambo said they are making progress with the matter now on a ministerial level.
A neighbouring association has committed a private plane for their players and ZIFA are hoping that they can get their players in that plane too if the diplomatic agreement goes on well.

Olympic Lyon forward Kadewere and Reims midfielder Munetsi will then get aboard a commercial flight tonight guaranteed that after the match they have a private plane.

The Warriors travel to Botswana on Wednesday, via Johannesburg, where they will connect directly to Francistown for Thursday’s match.

Zimbabwe host Zambia in the final qualifying match on Sunday at the National Sports Stadium.

Other Europe-based players are expected to start trooping in today.