Botswana warmed up for this coming weekend's 2014 world cup qualifiers with a 1-1 draw against Iraq in a match played in Turkey. The Asian side took the lead in the early part of the match with a strike from Karar Jassim but the Zebras found a late equaliser through BDF X1's Lemponye Tshireletso.

The race to fill the five slots for African representatives to the FIFA 2014 World Cup to be played in Brazil begins this weekend across the continent. Botswana is in Group A and face Central African Republic in Bangui on Saturday before hosting neighbours South Africa seven days later.

Zebras coach Stanley Tshosane will be pleased with his charges' workout from the two friendly games played in preparation. Botswana dismissed Lesotho 3-0 last week, with goals from Joel Mogorosi, Mara Moloi and Jerome Ramathlakwana.

Meanwhile Iraq were facing their second African opponents are beating Sierra Leone 1-0 last week in a match also played in Istanbul, Turkey.

Leone stars' went on to lose again to Jordan 4-0 in Jordan. Sierra Leone starts its campaign for Brazil 2014 with a home encounter against Cape Verde Islands on 2nd June before travelling to face Equatorial Guinea in Bata a week later.