‘Would be happy to have something like that at home’: Zim coach praises Nigeria’s facilities ahead of World Cup qualifier
- vimbayi makwavarara
- Mar 24
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 27
BY SPORTSCAST WRITER
HARARE – The football facilities of Nigeria have left Michael Nees, the coach of homeless Zimbabwe, wishing for the same in the Southern African country.
Nigeria host the Zimbabweans on Tuesday evening for a World Cup qualifier, and will have the home advantage that the Warriors have not enjoyed in the campaign due to a Fifa ban on their substandard stadia.
The Warriors immediately flew out to Nigeria after hosting Benin in South African city Durban on Thursday, in a match they came from 2-0 down to force a 2-2 draw courtesy of goals by Wolves midfielder Marshall Munetsi and returning ex-skipper Knowledge Musona.
Their next Group C qualifier will be played at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, southeastern Nigeria, and the Warriors have been practicing on the immaculate training pitch adjacent the main 30 000-capacity arena.
“Training pitch, you can see by yourself, I think we would be happy to have something (like that) in our home…very good, really very good, impressed,” said Nees on Monday.
“The stadium pitch, I’m expecting (it to be) even better. But the training pitch is really good, soft, not too hard, very good.”
The 57-year-old German mentor is Zimbabwe’s third coach in their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign, a turnover that has derailed the Warriors' bid for their first World Cup appearance in their history.
Zimbabwe are bottom of the pool with a measly three points from five games, having picked their third draw of the campaign against Benin.
Nees was appointed Zimbabwe’s coach last July, turning the Warriors fortunes around quickly by guiding them to 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification. Five more games still remain in the World Cup qualifiers, but the general consensus among Zimbabwe’s fans is that the World Cup bid is as good as over.
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