Tinotenda Hove – The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has handed Warriors defender Teenage Hadebe a one-match suspension after he breached team camp rules during the ongoing Mukuru Four Nations Tournament in Francistown, Botswana.

In a statement released on Monday, 30 March, ZIFA confirmed that Hadebe will miss Tuesday’s final against Zambia. While the details of the code of conduct violation were not disclosed, the association said the player has apologised to both the team and ZIFA and accepted the disciplinary action.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association confirms that Warriors defender Teenage Hadebe has been found in breach of the team’s camp code of conduct. Following this, a disciplinary decision has been taken in line with team regulations.

Teenage Hadebe has been suspended for one match and will therefore miss the final of the Mukuru 4 Nations Tournament against Zambia. The player has since apologised to the team and the Association, and has accepted the disciplinary outcome.

The Association and the technical team remain committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, discipline and accountability within the national team setup,” the statement read.

Zimbabwe will face a “second-string” Zambia squad, as the senior Zambian national team is in Argentina for a high-profile friendly against the World Champions, also scheduled for 31 March.

Due to overlapping fixtures, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) split its resources. The “A-team,” made up of Europe-based and top-flight African players, travelled to South America, while the squad in Botswana is largely composed of fringe players and Under-23 prospects.

While the senior Zambian team focuses on the glamour tie in Argentina, the younger “Chipolopolo” squad in Botswana is using the Mukuru Four Nations Tournament as an opportunity to make their case for selection in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.