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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S Warriors could have a rare opportunity to square off against opposition from outside the continent with plans for an international friendly against South Korea’s Taeguk Warriors being lined up.

Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambwa has been pleading for quality opposition as he prepares his team for the resumption of the 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifying campaign in September.

Chidzambwa’s answers may have been partly answered yesterday following a meeting between the Minister of Sport, Arts and Recreation Kazembe Kazembe and South Korean Ambassador to Zimbabwe Cho Jaichel in Harare yesterday.

The ambassador paid a courtesy call to on Kazembe at his offices in Harare, where they discussed several areas of possible cooperation including sports.

It was during their discussion that Ambassador Cho revealed that he is a fan of Zimbabwean football and said apart from promoting the growth of Taekwondo, a Korean martial arts discipline, he would like to see a football match between the two countries during his stay.

“The other thing I would like to say is I am a football fan. I am a strong football fan. I already watched several games of your national team and sometimes I am watching the play of CAPS United.

“And one of the things I would like to see here during my stay, I would like to see a football match between Zimbabwe and Korea,” said Cho.

Responding to follow-up questions after his meeting with Kazembe, Cho also said he was impressed by the Warriors and especially the way they had started their qualifying bid for a place at the Nations Cup in Cameroon next year.

The South Korean ambassador said he had watched Zimbabwe’s 3-0 destruction of Liberia at the National Sports Stadium.

It was during that game, that Knowledge Musona capped his first game as Warriors captain with a fine performance after he grabbed a hat-trick.

And that performances seem to have made a lasting impression on the ambassador.

“I watch several games of the national team at the national stadium, particularly I still remember last year, the time your team won against Liberia last year in June, I remember its June and (it was) 3-0.

“At the time I was very much amazed by the skills and the energy of your team. I still remember very well the action, beautiful action of the captain, Musona.

“And my team, Korean team, I think is a little bit tougher than Zimbabwean team.

“But because I (have) already become a fan of the Zimbabwean football team, so I (would) like to see a football match between Zimbabwe and Korea,” said Cho.

South Korea will be making their ninth consecutive appearance at the FIFA World Cup to be staged in Russia and Zimbabwe stand to benefit if the idea materialises.

Kazembe said it would be good to have both the men and women teams involved and have them playing Korean teams.

“From what the ambassador said, it looks like we do have a lot in common in as far as sport is concerned. And he made it very clear that he is a fan of our national team and I am very glad we have added another fan to our fan-base.

“If it’s possible I would love to see our men’s team play their men’s team and also the women as well if resources permit.

“So I am looking forward to that and also hoping that we will benefit a lot from that cooperation with them,” said Kazembe.

Although the Taeguk are likely to be focussing much of the attention to the World Cup between now and June, their ambassador insisted he was keen to arrange that encounter between Zimbabwe and South Korea.

Plans are also afoot to have their Asian nation’s women’s side play a friendly against the Mighty Warriors.