KHAMA BILLIAT is the latest member of the influential group of Warriors to pull out of the 2021 AFCON qualifiers against Botswana and Zambia later this month.

The Kaizer Chiefs forward has failed to recover in time, to be drafted for national duty, even though he was named in the bloated squad for the training camp.

It’s the latest major setback to hit the Warriors’ bid to qualify for the Nations Cup finals set for Cameroon next January.

Zdravko Logarusic men need to win either one, or both, of their final two matches, against their two neighbours, to qualify for their third straight AFCON finals.

The Warriors have never qualified for the tournament, three times in a row, although the decision by CAF, to have a 24-team tourney, means the current crop have better chances, of playing at the showcase, compared to those who came before them.

The first 24-team Nations Cup finals was held in Egypt two years ago where the Warriors, plagued by a number of in-house disruptions, crashed out after fining bottom of their group.

A point against Uganda, in the second match, with Billiat scoring their goal, was the only time they picked something, from that campaign, with defeats coming at the hands of Egypt and the DRC.

Now, Billiat, has been ruled out of the final two qualifiers set for this month.

Zimbabwe take on Botswana, away on March 25, before hosting Zambia, at the National Sports Stadium, four days later.

Already Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba is out of the crucial ties.- The Herald