Warriors arrive in Uyo, refuse to give up

Tadious Manyepo in UYO, Nigeria

THE Warriors landed in Uyo, Nigeria, yesterday, bracing themselves for yet another gruelling clash against the Super Eagles on Tuesday, fresh from a nail-biting 2-2 draw with Benin in Durban last Thursday.

The team had a brief stopover in Lagos upon their arrival in Nigeria on Friday before finally settling in Uyo yesterday afternoon.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in full swing, the Warriors are determined to impress in their tough group and make their country proud, taking each match as a hard-fought opportunity to succeed on the world stage.

Coach Michael Nees is in no mood to throw in the towel despite Zimbabwe remaining winless in their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.

Instead, the German coach, who last Thursday presided over his first African Zone Group C World Cup qualifying assignment, says Zimbabwe should fight on until the last of their pool matches.

Nees saw his Warriors muster only their third draw in five qualifiers to remain anchored at the basement of the group with three points and seven behind new leaders South Africa.

The Warriors had hoped to resuscitate their faltering campaign when the qualifying marathon resumed last week, but they instead found themselves having to battle their way from being two goals down to force a draw against Benin at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa.

And with Nigeria’s Super Eagles ending their poor start with a 2-0 triumph over Rwanda, Zimbabwe are now the only team in Group C without a win.

They are in a tight corner from which they do not need only themselves, but some fortunes from elsewhere to pull clear.

At the resumption of the qualifying fixtures, the Warriors were five points behind then-leaders Rwanda.

Now, they are a further two points adrift from new group leaders South Africa and they turn their attention to an even bigger battle against bogey side Nigeria in Uyo on Tuesday.

That Zimbabwe have not beaten Nigeria in a competitive game suggests the Warriors may have to actually wait until the next round of fixtures in September to hunt for a win.

But global football has undergone major changes and if the determination that Nees’ men showed in the second half of their clash against Benin is anything to go by, then they will not be mere pushovers in Uyo.

Former Seychelles coach Nees knows his Warriors’ situation is far from ideal, but he has refused to surrender the fight.

He did not begin the campaign, but he is very keen to revive it.

The marathon started with Brazilian Baltemar Brito taking charge of the opening two games and posted draws against Rwanda and Nigeria.

Manica Diamonds coach Jairos Tapera then took over, ending in disastrous losses to Lesotho and South Africa.

But all that does not matter for the German gaffer, who has brought a whole new feel and eloquent touch into the national team, which he has helped qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for Morocco in December.

He does acknowledge that it is a mammoth task, if not a miraculous one, if Zimbabwe were to turn the tide and jump to the summit of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying group.

While the air of disappointment from the Benin draw is still lingering, the Warriors have shifted their focus on Nigeria, whom they face at the Godswill Akwabo International Stadium.

It is a must-win game for Zimbabwe if they want to keep the dim embers they have on qualifying smouldering.

“Apart from the situation, we have to be competing even if we were already out. We are not out (yet). There are still 15 points to play for,” a defiant Nees said.

“And you never know what’s happening with the second-place playoff, how many points the second position needs, as there are some groups with only four teams, so that the matches maybe at least five and six will not be counted in that calculation.

“Nobody can predict anything. As a sportsperson, you have to fight until the end, because everybody wants a fair competition. The group is not decided. There are still 15 points to play for.”

Nees said every game should be approached differently.

Nigeria are now on six points, four behind leaders South Africa and they will be out to pick up the maximum points against Zimbabwe.

The Warriors can take their tally to six, same as Nigeria, if they can upstage the Super Eagles on their home soil.

“You must see every game differently,” said Nees. “In the same vein, a team needs to develop. If you observed us against Benin, that was definitely an improvement in character and that also gives us confidence. You are two-zero down, you come back. But, of course, in a certain way we need to also be honest to ourselves and rectify the mistakes.”