Warriors sink deeper as fans cry betrayal

Fungai Muderere, Zimpapers Sports Hub

IT was another night of heartbreak for Zimbabwean football as the Warriors stumbled to a 1-0 defeat against Benin in their 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, leaving fans at home and abroad furious at what has become a cycle of disappointment.

The late loss pushed Benin into second place in Group C, five points behind leaders South Africa with three matches left. Zimbabwe, rooted at the bottom of the group and still winless, are now clutching at straws. Their next game is against Rwanda in South Africa on Tuesday, but the dream of qualifying is effectively over.

For many in the local football family, the pain cut deep.

“It was really a painful loss which has negatively impacted the team’s quest to make it to the World Cup finals,” said Zimbabwe Soccer Coaches Association member Morris Mukwiti.

“The technical team should now use the remaining qualifiers to fine tune the squad for the Afcon finals in December. They should keep trying to find proper combinations.”

Popular Bulawayo comedian Ntando Van Moyo was equally blunt.

“I don’t really know how the Warriors team selection is done. How can you pick players and field them out of their natural positions? We’ve chopped and changed so many times. It’s high time we prioritise young talent. We can’t keep relying on these already wealthy seasoned players,” he said.

Fan Sabelo Sihwa added, “This is really sad. We continuously have a team that disappoints us as a nation. We also need to enjoy watching our national team win matches. For us it has been the opposite, why?”

The match itself told the story of a team without balance. Zimbabwe started brightly, with goalkeeper Washington Arubi making a brilliant double save in the fifth minute and Tawanda Maswanhise providing energy down the right. Yet the Warriors’ momentum slowly faded as the midfield collapsed under the weight of a questionable tactical decision.

Coach Michael Nees shocked many by deploying veteran striker Knowledge Musona as a holding midfielder. His instincts repeatedly drew him too far forward, leaving the defence exposed. Benin, who had gone almost a year without a win, exploited the gap.

The decisive blow came in the 77th minute when Steve Mounie, assisted by Yohan Roche, scored his 21st international goal to hand Benin a rare victory and pile more misery on Zimbabwe.

While the Warriors floundered, former Zimbabwe coach Kallisto Pasuwa reminded everyone of his pedigree. His Malawi side edged Namibia 2-1 in their qualifier on the same night, underlining the contrast between Zimbabwe’s woes and the steady rise of its neighbours.

Friday World Cup Qualifier results

Namibia 1-2 Malawi

Egypt 2-0 Ethiopia

Mauritania 2-0 Togo

Senegal 2-0 Sudan

Morocco 5-0 Niger

Benin 1-0 Zimbabwe

Lesotho 0-3 South Africa

Congo 1-1 Tanzania

Uganda 4-0 Mozambique

Djibouti 0-6 Burkina Faso

South Sudan 1-4 DR Congo