Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, [email protected]
TAKESURE Chiragwi, Zimbabwe’s senior national team assistant coach, has rejected criticism that the Warriors did not take the 2025 African Nations Championship (Chan) qualifiers seriously.
Zimbabwe fielded a developmental side comprising mainly Under-23 players, ultimately losing 4-0 on aggregate to Eswatini.
The Warriors were beaten 3-0 in Botswana in the first leg and 1-0 in the second on Saturday.
Chiragwi argued that the tournament provided valuable experience for the young players.
“I don’t understand when you say Zimbabwe didn’t take this game seriously,” Chiragwi said. “We’re building a team, this is a platform for players to integrate into the senior team, gain experience and exposure.”
Chiragwi praised the young side’s performance against Eswatini’s senior team. “We’re happy with the boys’ performance.
Playing against Eswatini’s best squad, they showed character. This exposure will help them grow.”
Chiragwi’s defence highlights Zimbabwe’s focus on youth development and long-term strategy, amid criticism of their Chan approach.
Zimbabwe returned to the Chan tournament after missing the previous edition due to a Fifa ban. Their best finish was reaching the semi-finals in 2014.
Eswatini will face Madagascar in December’s final qualification match.
The 2025 Chan tournament, sponsored by TotalEnergies, is scheduled for February.
Attention for Zimbabwe now turns to Afcon Qualifiers where they will play host to Kenya’s Harambe Stars in a Group J Afcon qualifier on November 15 at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa.
Kick-off is scheduled for 6 pm.
Zimbabwe’s German coach, Michael Nees, explained the decision to shift the base from Johannesburg to Polokwane, citing training difficulties and logistics.
Zimbabwe requires at least a draw to qualify for the Afcon finals, currently sitting second in Group J with eight points, two behind leaders Cameroon.
Kenya is third with four points, while Namibia remains pointless.
The Warriors previously secured back-to-back wins against Namibia at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg, including a 3-1 victory in front of a lively crowd.—@innocentskizoe
Online Reporter