Zimbabwe: Michael Nees promises a “committed and professional” match against South Africa
Already eliminated from the race for the 2026 World Cup, Zimbabwe wants to play its part to the end. Their coach, Michael Nees, says his team will approach the clash with South Africa with seriousness and determination.
Le sélectionneur national du Zimbabwe, Michael Nees@CAFonline
Even with nothing at stake, the Warriors don’t intend to take the end of their campaign lightly. Bottom of Group C with four points, the Zimbabweans will face South Africa on Friday at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. A crucial match for the Bafana Bafana, who are still in contention for qualification.
Speaking on Gagasi FM, Michael Nees stressed the importance of the match: “This match matters to us too. It’s important for the FIFA rankings, for national pride and for the integrity of the competition. We must give our all and leave with our heads held high.“
The coach also pointed out that his team refuses to be seen as skewing the race for qualification. “The last thing we want is to be accused of not having played the game. We must be exemplary on the sporting front,” he added.
Finally, Nees praised South Africa’s consistency, which he considers “one of the continent’s strongest teams” since the last AFCON. To have any hope of making the 2026 World Cup, the Bafana Bafana will need to beat Zimbabwe, before a final decisive clash with Rwanda.