By Sports writer
ZIMBABWE national team coach, Michael Nees admits the warriors were lucky to get a victory against Namibia in a 2025 AFCON qualifier at Orlando stadium, South Africa on Thursday.
Veteran forward Khama Billiat scored from the penalty spot 33 minutes into the match.
This was Nees’ first victory in charge of the warriors since taking over the team.
The result leaves Zimbabwe top of group J with five points from three matches.
However, the warriors’ performance was far from pleasing and the German gaffer admits his charges were not at their best.
“The game was not a beauty contest, it was a hard fight what we anticipated,” he told the media.
“To make it worse there were no fans in the stadium and we made technical mistakes.
“We accepted that but said at half time no matter what, we have to win today.”
Zimbabwe missed Denmark based defender Munashe Garanganga and Tawanda Chirewa through injury.
And Nees was forced to throw in returnees captain Marvelous Nakamba and Brandan Galloway into the first XI.
South African based forward Terrence Dzvukamanja also got a starting berth in the team.
The warriors gaffer said he was not worried about his side’s performance given that he hasn’t had more time with the players.
“I’m not really worried, you must see the circumstances how the match is taking place,” Nees said.
“Today is Thursday, I had one training session with this team and we could not even train set pieces, I had one hour training at the stadium.
“The rest of the time we had to assemble the squad because they come from all over the world.
“This is a catastrophe, I said it before I will be like a meeting coach not a football coach.
“On the one hand you play a team that has played together since January and February.
“They have been together, the South African league is not running and their league stopped so we played against an international club team. What do you expect?”
“Today we had to fight, we were lucky at the right times and not unlucky at the wrong time.”
Zimbabwe will play Namibia at the same venue on Monday.
The other two teams in the group Cameroon and Kenya will face off on Friday.
