Warriors Wasteful as Rwanda Edge 1-0 in Johannesburg
Zimbabwe’s miserable run in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers continued on Tuesday after a 1-0 defeat to Rwanda at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg.
The Warriors dominated large spells of the contest but failed to make their superiority count, with Rwanda punishing them through a decisive second-half strike that sealed all three points.
Michael Nees’ men saw plenty of the ball, created several openings, and forced saves from the Amavubi goalkeeper, but the cutting edge was missing once again. The result leaves Zimbabwe winless in their Group C campaign and rooted at the bottom of the table with just four points from eight games.
Speaking after the match, head coach Nees lamented his side’s profligacy in front of goal:
“We must find a way to put the ball into the back of the net more often, and that was missing today. We dominated, we had chances, it was one-way traffic around their box, and we forced good saves. Sometimes life is against you, but you have to keep trying and pushing — it will change sooner or later.”
He added that while the effort was commendable, the result was deeply disappointing.
“With the effort we are happy — everyone gave their best — but we are disappointed with the result.”
With only two fixtures left in the qualifiers, Zimbabwe’s hopes of salvaging a win now depend on converting possession into goals. The Warriors have scored just once in their last three outings, a stark reminder of the finishing crisis that has haunted their campaign.