LUSAKA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Equatorial Guinea has withdrawn from a southern African regional soccer tournament which kicks off next month in Zambia, organizers said on Tuesday.
Equatorial Guinea was invited as a guest team to replace Tanzania who also withdrew from the championship as it would have clashed with CHAN qualifiers.
According to a statement released by the Confederation of Southern African Soccer Football Associations (COSAFA), the organizers of the COSAFA Senior Challenge, Equatorial Guinea cited lack of funds for their withdrawal from the tournament despite having assured the regional body of their participation last month.
Timothy Shongwe, chairman of the organizing committee of the tournament said the last minute withdrawal made it difficult to replace the western African nation, hence leaving Group A with only three teams namely Namibia, Mauritius and Seychelles.
The withdrawal of Equatorial Guinea means the tournament will only have 13 teams, he added.
The tournament, which kicks off on July 6 to July 20, is southern Africa's soccer showpiece and it returns after an absence of three years. It was last played in 2009 when Zimbabwe hosted and emerged winners.
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