Zimbabwe Warriors secure 2025 AFCON spot, with coach aiming for second round in Morocco

TAWANDA CHARI 

The Zimbabwe Warriors have officially booked their place at the prestigious TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 after securing a crucial 1-1 draw against Kenya at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in South Africa on Friday. This result marked a pivotal moment for the Warriors, who finished second in their group with nine points, ensuring their sixth qualification for the continental showpiece.

Zimbabwe have booked their place for the continental showpiece in Morocco next year, with coach Michael Nees promising second round qualification 

Their previous appearances were in 2004 (Tunisia), 2006 (Egypt), 2017 (Gabon), 2019 (Egypt), and 2021(held in 2022 in Cameroon due to COVID-19)—although the team has yet to advance beyond the group stages in AFCON; something that coach Michael Nees has promised to change. 

Tawanda Maswanhise gave the Warriors a first-half lead, scoring in the 32nd minute after an assist from Khama Billiat.

Kenya, however, fought back and found their equalizer early in the second half through Jonah Ayunga capitalizing on a lapse in Zimbabwe’s defense..

Despite a spirited effort from both sides, the match ended all square. Zimbabwe’s draw, coupled with their strong position in the group, ensures they advance to TotalEnergies CAF AFCON 2025.

Their best performances have been in the group stages, as they have yet to progress beyond this stage in the tournament's history.

Michael Nees, the 57-year-old German coach of the Warriors, has since made it unequivocally clear that his target in Morocco is qualifying for the second round. 

“With regard to the Afcon finals’ objective, if you are there you want to get to the second round. You don’t want to go there just to be there and train five or six times in the tournament and then have three matches and go home. But I think that goes for every team, which participates but the competition is still very far,” Nees intimated to reporters after the encounter with Kenya. 

“You don’t know if the players can keep their shape, their fitness and maybe one can get badly injured. It’s too far and it’s a bit unique I must also say because normally a tournament should be three months or four months after the qualification and not over a year. But the calendar could not make it possible in another way so we have to accept this. It gives us time to work on things.”

Zimbabwe’s final qualifier will be against already-qualified Cameroon on Tuesday, with kick-off scheduled for 3 pm CAT.

Zimbabwe play their international home matches in South Africa due to a FIFA ban on its stadiums. 

Zim XI: Arubi, Takwara, Garan’anga, Hadebe, Zemura, Rinomhota, Munetsi, Nakamba, Maswanhise, Musona, Billiat.

Kenya XI: Odhiambo, E. Otieno, Okumu, Omurwa, Nondi, Omar, Akumu, Ayunga, Anyembe, Onyango, Olinga.