Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi, Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE senior men’s football team coach Michael Nees, says the Warriors will play with pride and purpose in their final World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Lesotho, despite being out of contention for a place at the 2026 finals.
Nees yesterday named a largely unchanged squad, bolstered by the return of veteran forward Khama Billiat. He joins a seasoned group that includes Knowledge Musona, Teenage Hadebe, Gerald Takwara, Terrence Dzvukamanja, Marshall Munetsi and captain Marvelous Nakamba.
The squad also features regulars such as Walter Musona, Jordan Zemura, Tawanda Maswanhise, Tawanda Chirewa and Munashe Garananga.
The Warriors’ campaign has already collapsed following an eight-match winless run that left them bottom of Group C. However, their final two fixtures still carry significant weight. A shock ruling by Fifa this week docked South Africa three points for fielding an ineligible player, throwing the group wide open. Benin, South Africa, Nigeria and Rwanda now all have a chance of topping the table.
Nees insists Zimbabwe cannot treat the matches as dead rubbers.
“We have a massive responsibility to be fair sportsmen, fair competitors, and to bring our best on the pitch in the first game and in the second game also. It’s our duty as sportsmen.
“We cannot just experiment here and there because this would be almost interpreted as unfair competition, and we cannot afford that. Fifa is looking at us.
“Also, the group is so tight — it could be that in the final game, four teams are separated only by one goal. Imagine! So we are responsible for the situation we find ourselves in, but others are responsible for their own situations. This is football.
“Especially against South Africa, there’s a lot at stake. We want to represent the country with pride and patriotism and in the best possible way, against one of the top five teams in Africa. And it will be a full house, packed,” Nees said.
Zimbabwe will “host” South Africa at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on October 10, before completing their campaign against Lesotho three days later. With neither side cleared to use their home grounds, both fixtures will be staged in South Africa.
Tensions around these matches intensified after Fifa ordered South Africa to forfeit their 2–0 win over Lesotho earlier this year. Bafana Bafana were also fined CHF10 000 (approximately US$12,500) for breaching disciplinary rules by fielding suspended midfielder Tebogo Mokoena, who had accumulated two yellow cards against Benin and Zimbabwe.
The ruling dropped South Africa to second place on 14 points, level with Benin but with an inferior goal difference.
Nigeria and Rwanda trail by just three points, putting added pressure on Bafana to chase big wins in their final two games.
Nees has opted for stability, sticking with tried and tested players. That includes experienced goalkeepers Washington Arubi and Elvis Chipezeze, both based in South Africa.
He also confirmed that the Warriors are now sharpening their focus for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco this December.
“Bear in mind, we have one objective. We want to perform well at the Afcon. We want to go to the second round for the first time and then see how far it can carry us.
“That’s our objective like any other team in the group. We are in a difficult group, no doubt, but we have good reasons to believe in ourselves,” Nees said.
Most of the squad named for the qualifiers will carry into Afcon, where Zimbabwe face Egypt, South Africa and Angola in what promises to be a demanding group. To strengthen the technical bench, the Warriors have added legend Kaitano Tembo as second assistant coach and Sharif Mussa to the team management.
Zimbabwe Squad
Goalkeepers
Washington Arubi (Marumo Gallants), Elvis Chipezeze (Magesi), Martin Mapisa (MWOS FC)
Defenders
Gerald Takwara (Al Ittihad Misurata SC), Munashe Garananga (FC Copenhagen), Godknows Murwira (Scottland FC), Emmanuel Jalai (Dynamos), Teenage Hadebe (FC Cincinnati), Jordan Zemura (Udinese Calcio), Divine Lunga (Mamelodi Sundowns), Brandon Galloway (Plymouth Argyle)
Midfielders
Marvelous Nakamba (Luton Town), Marshall Munetsi (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Jonah Fabisch (FC Erzgebirg Aue), Knowledge Musona (Scottland), Tawanda Chirewa (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Strikers
Terrence Dzvukamanja (Scottland), Khama Billiat (Scottland), Bill Antonio (KV Mechelen), Tawanda Maswanhise (Motherwell), Walter Musona (Scottland), Prince Dube (Young Africans SC), Thando Ngwenya (AmaZulu)
