Zimbabwe midfielder Marshall Munetsi said remarks from South African coach Hugo Broos motivated his team ahead of their World Cup qualifier match. The Belgian manager told the media that Zimbabwe posed minimal threat compared to African powerhouses like Nigeria and Cameroon. Players contacted each other after hearing the comments and treated the fixture as personal rather than purely competitive.
The Wolverhampton player said losing to South Africa would have been unforgivable for Zimbabwean supporters despite accepting defeat against Lesotho. He noted that coaches often use opponent statements to energize squads before matches. His former manager at Orlando Pirates employed similar tactics when rival teams made dismissive comments about their abilities.
The Zimbabwe Football Association confirmed friendlies against Algeria and Qatar next month as preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations tournament. Both opponents qualified for the 2026 World Cup and will test the Warriors before their group stage matches. The team dismissed head coach Michael Nees on Wednesday, while assistant Kaitano Tembo remains with the technical staff.
The Wolverhampton player said losing to South Africa would have been unforgivable for Zimbabwean supporters despite accepting defeat against Lesotho. He noted that coaches often use opponent statements to energize squads before matches. His former manager at Orlando Pirates employed similar tactics when rival teams made dismissive comments about their abilities.
The Zimbabwe Football Association confirmed friendlies against Algeria and Qatar next month as preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations tournament. Both opponents qualified for the 2026 World Cup and will test the Warriors before their group stage matches. The team dismissed head coach Michael Nees on Wednesday, while assistant Kaitano Tembo remains with the technical staff.
