Agencies
UYUO, Nigeria — Zimbabwean captain Marshall Munetsi has acknowledged the strength of their Nigerian opponents but insists his team remains unfazed and confident in their ability to pull off an upset in the Super Eagles backyard. The Warriors take on the Super Eagles in a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier this afternoon.
Addressing a pre-match press conference at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, the Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder spoke on the magnitude of the match for his team and downplayed the pressure on Zimbabwe.
“Nigeria is obviously a much bigger country in the world of football, but Zimbabwe qualifying for the World Cup will be more like a historic feat than Nigeria qualifying,” Munetsi stated. “That’s why I think all the guys on the team want to do something historical — something that has never been done by our country before.”
The Warriors, who are seeking to bounce back from a challenging start to their qualification campaign, are determined to make a mark despite Nigeria’s strong reputation in African football. Munetsi acknowledged that Nigeria has the home advantage but expressed confidence in his side’s ability to compete.
“This is what is going to drive us, give us the energy on the pitch to compete,” Munetsi remarked. “Obviously, we did not start the qualifiers as we would have wanted. We lost some points away as we didn’t have the advantage the Nigerians had, being able to play at home with the crowd behind them.”
Munetsi also pointed out that playing away from home might be an advantage for Zimbabwe, given the European experience of many of their players. “I think you see most of the Zimbabwe players are playing in Europe, far away from home. So playing away games is better than playing at home. The pressure is always on the home team.”
Zimbabwe heads into the game after a dramatic 2-2 draw with Benin Republic, while Nigeria is looking to build on their recent 2-0 victory, inspired by Victor Osimhen’s stellar performance. Munetsi maintained a composed and positive outlook, highlighting the opportunity to play in Uyo’s impressive stadium.
“It’s a pleasure to be here playing in such a stadium with good capacity,” he said. “So we are just here to enjoy the game.”
