Nees Calls For Courage & Passion As Zimbabwe Warriors Targets First Win Against Nigeria
Zimbabwe Warriors head coach Michael Nees believes his team only needs to play with courage and passion to achieve victory against Nigeria in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifiers at Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
The Warriors kicked off their preparations with a first training session held on Sunday morning at the venues’ B Arena.
The team arrived in Nigeria on Saturday afternoon, and the atmosphere is charged with optimism as they aim to secure their first victory in Group C of the qualifiers.
Zimbabwe still anchors the group with 3 points from five games and a win against Nigeria could rekindle some hope of their first qualification to the World stage.
Coach Michael Nees is optimistic as he eyes Nigeria upset.
“We can be satisfied with our preparations so far, there are still one and a half days to go and we are looking forward to the game”, said Nees after the team’s first training session in Nigeria.
“From individual Nigeria players is quality, if you look at the names it’s top-class, absolutely top-class”, continues Nees.
“They missed their campaign at the beginning, really very hard. This is their third coach now involved in this campaign.
They won in Rwanda, for them always a difficult opponent, so they will come now with confidence and all their power to try to turn this campaign around, and so do we.
It will be an exciting game. We have to perform to our maximum, am sure, said Nees.
“We will expect a tough opponent, that will be giving everything, but we will also have to give everything.”
“My players need to accept the challenge, the climate, the pace, and the conditions. They must accept the challenge and enjoy it. You mustn’t be afraid of anything, that’s no reason for it. We will play football, analyze our opponents, and analyze our game. We will give instructions and they can believe in themselves, they don’t need to be nervous whatsoever,” adds Nees
“They have already shown many times that they are very good players and good characters. I am looking forward to this game. That will be a real football match,” he said.
The camaraderie among the players was evident, with laughter and encouragement echoing throughout the session. This positive atmosphere is crucial as the team seeks to build confidence ahead of the match.
The Zimbabwe Warriors are fully aware of the significance of this match, not only for their World Cup qualifying campaign but also for national pride. A victory against Nigeria would not only boost their chances of qualification but also serve as a morale booster for the team and their supporters back home.
