By Steve Vickers BBC Sport Online in Harare

Zimbabwe's preparations for their opening Nations Cup qualifying match have been dealt a massive blow with the cancellation of their two planned international warm-up matches.

The Warriors, who face Mali at home on 8 September, were due to host Kuwait in friendly match on Sunday and then play away to Algeria the following weekend.

Although the Zimbabwe Football Association are now trying to arrange another friendly match, the Warriors are now likely to face Mali with a largely untested squad.

Zifa communications manager Arthur Choga said, "Due to a breakdown in communication the Kuwait Football Federation did not receive our confirmation of the match in time."

Algeria have revised their programme of friendlies and are unable to play Zimbabwe before the Nations Cup qualifiers begin.

"We are talking with other associations who may give us a match before the game against Mali," said Choga.

Coach Sunday Marimo is with the national team in Harare, but will now dismiss the players from camp before the weekend.

"I would have wanted the boys to be fully prepared for the game against Mali, but I still feel we will be ready for the match," said Marimo.

Marimo took over as national coach in May and has had just one international assignment so far, a two-match tour of Malawi which yielded one draw and one defeat for Zimbabwe.

Only the winners of the qualifying groups are guaranteed a place at the Nations Cup finals in Tunisia in 2004.

The group featuring Zimbabwe and Mali also includes Eritrea and the Seychelles.