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Zimbabwe’s World Cup hopes hit hard as Nakamba is ruled out of Nigeria clash

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Zimbabwe’s World Cup hopes hit hard as Nakamba is ruled out of Nigeria clash

By Dayo Awoniyi

Zimbabwe’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign has been dealt a major blow following the news that key midfielder Marvelous Nakamba will miss their crucial match against Nigeria’s Super Eagles.

Nakamba, who plays for Luton Town in the Sky Bet Championship, suffered an injury during his club’s 2-0 defeat to Watford last weekend.

His club has confirmed that he will be sidelined for at least six weeks, ruling him out of the upcoming fixture.

The absence of Nakamba, one of Zimbabwe’s most influential players, will significantly impact the team’s chances as they face Nigeria in a must-win match on March 25.

The match is set to take place at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, and the loss of Nakamba will leave a noticeable gap in Zimbabwe’s midfield as they battle for a place in the 2026 World Cup.

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Samuel Ahmadu
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
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