Nigeria were favorites to win, but Zimbabwe put in a great performance and earned the points
Zimbabwe coach Bartemar Brito said he was aiming for a win against Nigeria when the two teams met in the second leg of their 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Sunday. Soccer Net reported.
Zimbabwe hosted three-time African champions Nigeria at Stade Huey in the second leg of their World Cup qualifiers. The Super Eagles were favorites due to their pedigree and quality of players. Additionally, the match took place in neutral Rwanda.
However, Jose Peceiro’s sons could not live up to their expectations. They lacked chemistry, hunger, creativity, and innovation.
Zimbabwe took the lead in the 26th minute thanks to a brilliant free kick from Walter Musona. However, Nigeria had to wait until the 67th minute for Kelechi Iheanacho to equalize.
But Nigeria could not get a winner. In fact, Zimbabwe created better chances towards the end of the match.
In the end, both teams settled for a 1-1 draw in Rwanda. However, Zimbabwe coach Brito said he was not satisfied with the result.
“They (Nigeria) are of course good. We started the game to win. We expected to win the game. Unfortunately it was a draw, but we won the game. I had that ambition,” Brito said after the game.
“The result of the match was born out of the atmosphere at this campsite. From the first day, a positive atmosphere was felt between the technical staff and the players.
“The players came here with an open heart to represent their country. This good performance is all thanks to them as they fought too hard today.”
A draw with Zimbabwe could be a big loss for the Super Eagles as they could be four points behind South Africa when they face Rwanda on Monday.
