The Zimbabwe senior men’s national football team, the Warriors, remain rooted to the bottom of Group C in the FIFA World Cup 2026 CAF Qualifiers after a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Benin at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in South Africa.
With just three points from five matches, Zimbabwe’s hopes of advancing hang in the balance as they prepare for a crucial clash against Nigeria on Tuesday.
The match got off to a disastrous start for Zimbabwe when a costly error by goalkeeper Washington Arubi gifted Benin the opening goal in the 11th minute.
Attempting to chip the ball over Benin’s Dodo Dokou after receiving a backpass from Gerald Takwara, Arubi’s effort landed perfectly on Dokou’s head.
The striker calmly nodded the ball to his captain, Steve Mounie, who slotted it into an empty net.
Benin doubled their lead in the 35th minute, capitalising on their dominance and leaving Zimbabwe with a mountain to climb.
However, the Warriors showed resilience and pulled one back just before halftime.
Captain Marshall Munetsi delivered a moment of brilliance, firing a powerful shot into the roof of the net after a pass from Jordan Zemura.
Zimbabwe emerged from the break with renewed energy, as coach Michael Nees made a tactical substitution, introducing Tawanda Chirewa for Prince Dube to bolster creativity in the final third.
The Warriors’ persistence paid off in the second half when they were awarded a freekick just outside the box.
A clever, quick-thinking play by Zemura caught the Benin defence off guard.
He laid the ball off to Musona was making his return to the Warriors fold, who expertly curled his shot past the goalkeeper at the near post to level the score at 2-2.
Despite relentless pressure from Zimbabwe in the closing stages, they were unable to find a winning goal.
The draw leaves the Warriors with a daunting task ahead as they prepare to face Group C opponents Nigeria, the Super Eagles, in their next qualifier.
The Warriors’ fighting spirit and second-half comeback will provide some encouragement, but their defensive lapses and missed opportunities highlight the need for improvement if they are to turn their campaign around.
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