Warriors coach Zdravko Logarušić’s plea to have the national team play a friendly game before next month’s AFCON qualifiers has gone down the drain after the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) rejected the proposal citing health regulations.

Zimbabwe take on neighbors Botswana and Zambia next month in crucial Group H matches which will determine whether or not they book a place at Africa’s biggest soccer spectacle, the Africa Cup of Nations.

Logarušić had hoped to prepare his army for battle courtesy of an international friendly game, a suggestion which the SRC wrote to ZIFA rejecting.

“The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) hereby gives you notice, following your application, that the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation DISAPPROVED your application to to play international friendly matches in preparation for 2022 AFCON Men Qualifying matches in March 2021,” the sports regulatory body said in a statement.

” Due to the current COVID-19 situation in the country, only local friendly matches can be done with teams already in bubble. “