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Tadious Manyepo-Sports Reporter
WARRIORS coach Michael Nees has kept his feet on the ground despite marching closer to sealing a place at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, following his back-to-back wins over Namibia in the last six days.
Zimbabwe can secure their ticket to the biannual tournament, with a game to spare, if they avoid defeat against Kenya in the penultimate round of qualifiers on November 11.
The Warriors will be the home side in that encounter, having held the Harambee Stars 0-0 in a Group J opener last month.
They are second in Group J with eight points, two behind leaders Cameroon, who have already qualified after four games.
Going into the latest internationals, Zimbabwe were third on the log with just two points while the Indomitable Lions and the Harambee Stars were tied on four points.
Namibia’s Brave Warriors, as they do even now, anchored the table without any points at the start of the Match-Day 3 round of fixtures.
With Cameroon rolling over Kenya in their back-to-back clashes, the Warriors tamed their Southern Africa rivals twice, first beating them 1-0 on Thursday last week before coasting to a 3-1 victory on Monday night.
The result left Zimbabwe in a very good space, needing just a point against Kenya, and Nees’ men could emulate the classes of 2017 under Kalisto Pasuwa and 2021 (Sunday Chidzambwa) which also qualified for the biggest continental fiesta with a match each to spare.
But failure to get a point against Kenya at home could turn out to be catastrophic for Zimbabwe, as they will then be under immense pressure to beat Cameroon in Doula to ensure their passage to the Morocco contest.
It is, however, how Nees has employed his methods which seems to have resonated well with his charges and has also left those at ZIFA and the generality of Zimbabweans dreaming big again.
The German gaffer has refused to get carried away with his flying start to his tenure as Zimbabwe coach.
The ex-Seychelles coach has instead, opted to remain grounded and keep his eyes fixed more on the ball heading into the last two qualification rounds.
He hailed his players for their resoluteness in the face of a barraging Namibian attack on Monday night.
“It was a very tough game against a very strong opponent. They had a very strong attacking line. They were very dangerous, we had to be always alert,” Nees said.
“We had to attack with certain control. They (Namibia) attacked a lot in the first half but we didn’t panic. We knew that the gaps would come because they wanted to risk a little bit more.
“We are happy we managed to perform especially in the second half. We managed to concentrate and in the second half, I don’t think they created many chances,” said Nees.
“I am happy the players concentrated especially in defence. We made one mistake at the back and we were punished. But there is no learning without suffering”.
He refused to single out anyone for the late goal which the Warriors conceded, which was the first time they had been breached in this campaign.
“Defence is the whole team. It’s not just three or four players at the back but the whole team must work for that.
“We saw in the last game, we must not beat about the bush, we were in one or two moments but you have to work for your luck.
“The concentration was very good. They had three of the best strikers in South Africa and they are well coached”.
Nees was also happy to have the Warriors fans back in the terraces after they had been elbowed out of the previous meeting against Namibia.
“It was nice to play in front of a crowd. We wanted to be in a good position, we wanted to have our destiny in our own hands. “Nothing is decided yet. We can be happy for now but there are still six points to play for.”
Unlike in the first qualification window where Nees didn’t tinker too much on his starting XI against Kenya and Cameroon in Uganda last month, the Warriors mentor tampered around with so many screws between the two matches against Namibia.
And he explained that every player should be prepared to have a role in the national team at this level.
“A national team consists of 20 to 30 players. My target is that we have two or three players at every position so that if something happens, we can act,” added Nees. “We have to play differently and see which personnel suit best in terms of the game.”
Nees has not lost a match since becoming the Warriors first substantive coach in three years.
Since his unveiling in August, the 57-year-old posted two goalless draws against Kenya and Cameroon before completing a double over Namibia.
He is also getting a lot of plaudits, especially for convincing Khama Billiat to return from international retirement and his brave move to call on 39-year-old goalkeeper Washington Arubi.
The goalkeeping department had proved to be Zimbabwe’s weakest link in the matches before Nees arrived and his decision to have Arubi back is paying handsomely.
Until a jaded Gerald Takwara blundered three minutes before full time at Orlando Stadium on Monday, Arubi was on course to complete four matches without conceding.
Online Reporter