Zimbabwe coach rubs salt in the wound, says Nigeria’s World Cup hopes are over

By Dayo Awoniyi

Zimbabwe’s head coach, Michael Nees, has delivered a blunt and scathing assessment of Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, stating that their hopes are all but extinguished following a 1-1 draw in their World Cup qualifier match on Tuesday.

The draw marked the second consecutive stalemate between the two teams, with the Warriors having held the Super Eagles to a similar result earlier in the campaign.

In his post-match comments, Nees wasted no time in diminishing Nigeria’s qualification prospects, pointing to their current standing in Group C and their points tally.

“To qualify for the World Cup, you need to play strategically, use your energy wisely, create chances, and, most importantly, convert them,” Nees remarked.

He then took a swipe at the Super Eagles, declaring, “At the moment, Nigeria is no better than us. And as it stands, World Cup qualification is over for both Nigeria and us.”

The Super Eagles now find themselves in fourth place in Group C with seven points from six matches, while Zimbabwe is languishing in fifth with four points.

South Africa leads the group with 13 points, closely followed by Rwanda and Benin Republic, each on eight points.