Zebras Drop To 150th In Fifa Rankings
Following the 2021 AFCON qualifiers heartbreak, the Zebras have dropped to four places down to the 150th spot in the latest FIFA ranking. The Zebras have failed to secure points in the last two rounds of the AFCON qualifiers, narrowly losing to Zimbabwe at home before receiving a 5-0 thumping away to Algeria.
Speaking to Monitor Sport, Botswana Football Association (BFA) technical director, Caroline Braun, admitted that the disappointment in dropping on the rankings, but said it mirrors the preparations ahead of the games.
“Obviously, we are disappointed no one wants to drop in the rankings.
Despite how things have been we have to play these kind of games for the country and also for the players. One game can change a player’s career, so we needed to play. “Without the league it was not going to be easy, it says a lot about how we prepared, but we are disappointed and we need to move up in the next rankings,” she said.
The Zebras is one the worst movers in the continent alongside Togo and Libya. The team’s highest ranking is 53rd, which followed maiden AFCON qualification in 2012 whilst the lowest is 165. Senegal remains at the top of the African rankings, with Tunisia in second place, while Nigeria has replaced reigning African champions, Algeria on the third spot.
Meanwhile, the Mares remain 131st on the list, after almost half year without kicking the ball. The team departed for South Africa yesterday, where they meet Banyana Banyana in an international friendly scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, The Mares will be returning to the field since the 2-1 loss in the COSAFA last September. “All our teams need to prepare, we are playing a very good side, though it is a friendly game we still need to compete and check our readiness for ACWON (qualifiers).
The players have been inactive, but we had to find ways to keep them fit before they joined the camp. This is a very good squad, they are fighters. They have shown that in the last COSAFA so we are hoping to carry on with the momentum,” Braun said.