THE Warriors vice-captain, Marshall Munetsi, has insisted that tomorrow’s crucial 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier against neighbours South Africa is far from a dead rubber, declaring it a special encounter where the Warriors must play for the nation’s pride.
The much-anticipated Limpopo derby kicks off at 6pm tomorrow at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, a match with monumental stakes for the home side, Bafana Bafana, and a unique significance for the travelling Warriors.
Despite Zimbabwe being mathematically eliminated and anchored at the bottom of Group C with just four points from eight matches, Munetsi views the clash as a vital building block and a dress rehearsal for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals, where the two southern African rivals have been drawn in the same group.
“I think it’s a special game, even when your parents are telling you that you guys cannot lose,” Munetsi stated.
“So I think it’s more of redeeming ourselves and also making our supporters happy, making the country happy because we also haven’t been having the best of results.”
The Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder highlighted that with World Cup qualification now beyond them, the remaining two qualifiers — starting with South Africa and followed by Lesotho on Tuesday — are a vital part of their Afcon preparations.
“Obviously, we know that we’re not going to be qualifying for the World Cup. So I think for us, it’s just the preparation for the Afcon, of which it’s quite a very good preparation because we are playing against South Africa,” he explained.
The reality of facing their continental rivals at Afcon has added an intense competitive edge to the Warriors’ camp.
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“I think it’s also a big motivation for us because we’re going to be playing directly against them [at Afcon].
“So I think even the training session, everybody’s focused.
“Everybody wants to play and prove a point.
“So we’re more fighting for our positions now and trying to see the best combination, especially for the upcoming Afcon.”
The Warriors, winless in their campaign with four draws and four defeats, are fighting to avoid finishing their World Cup journey without a single victory.
Ironically, tomorrow, they will be playing as the “home” side in Durban due to the lack of a CAF-approved stadium in Zimbabwe.
For South Africa, the derby carries significantly more weight.
Bafana Bafana are locked in a fierce battle for the sole automatic qualification spot in Group C.
They are currently second, tied on 14 points with leaders Benin, who boast a superior goal difference.
South Africa would be leading the group had they not been docked three points by Fifa for fielding an ineligible player in their victory over Lesotho.
Bafana Bafana must now secure big wins in their last two matches, starting with Zimbabwe, to keep their World Cup dream alive.
They also play Rwanda on Tuesday next week.
Munetsi also touched on the unpredictable nature of football, noting that top-level experience does not always translate into success at the international level, using their Group C rivals, Nigeria, as a prime example.
“If you check most of the other countries, they do have players who are playing in big leagues, but they struggle.
“If you look at Nigeria in our group, obviously on paper everybody thought because they have guys playing in the big leagues they would make it to the World Cup, but I think it’s more of trying to take each game as it comes,” he observed.
The Warriors vice-captain urged Zimbabwean supporters to stand by the team, acknowledging the disappointment of the current campaign but stressing the need to focus on the future.
“To the fans just to come and support us and enjoy a good game ... It feels like a final for South Africa, but it also feels like a game that we have to show our pride.”
