Zimbabwe Warriors finish bottom of World Cup Group

Zimbabwe's 2026 World Cup qualification campaign ended in disarray on Monday after the Warriors slumped to a 1-0 defeat against Lesotho at Peter Mokaba Stadium - a result that left them winless and rooted to the bottom of Group C.

The late loss, sealed by a stoppage-time strike from Hlompho Kalake, completed a humiliating double for Lesotho over their regional rivals and deepened the crisis for coach Michael Nees, who now faces mounting pressure to turn things around before the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Morocco.

In a blunt post-match assessment, Nees admitted that Zimbabwe's chronic failure to convert scoring opportunities had again proved their undoing.

"Disappointed, not the result we wanted," he said. "Everything came as anticipated — the long balls, the counterattacks from Lesotho where they are really strong. And at the end, we lose 1-0 in the final minute. It's bitter."

The German coach lamented the side's persistent goal-scoring woes, saying the team lacked both accuracy and composure in front of goal.

"We need to find a way to bring the ball into the net," he said. "We don't score enough when we have chances. We don't shoot accurately or we don't pass the ball when the teammate is free. The final decision-making, the final concentration — it's similar to what happened against Rwanda. Almost a déjà vu."

Zimbabwe had several chances to take the lead through Prince Dube, Jordan Zemura, Bill Antonio and Daniel Msendami, but all failed to convert.

Nees attributed the team's finishing problems to a broader weakness in Zimbabwean football, arguing that the country's low scoring rates extend from club level to the national team.

He also highlighted poor match fitness as a key factor, noting that few players were getting regular game time at competitive levels abroad.

"Sometimes we have good players," Nees said. "Who is playing regularly on a high level from the start? That's Jordan Zemura and Marshall Munetsi. The rest are very often under-21, sitting on the bench, or not even in the matchday squad."

The coach said fatigue from their previous match against South Africa further compounded the team's struggles.

"It's unfortunate that a lot of players were fatigued because they went over the limit against South Africa," he said.

Nees also revealed that an administrative mishap deprived the Warriors of a key attacking option after striker Tawanda Maswanhise was ruled ineligible for losing his passport.

"The one player misplaces his passport, and then we couldn't use him. It's just a chain of unfortunate events," he said.

He added that poor conditioning might be affecting the players' sharpness in front of goal.

"Maybe when you come close to the goal, you're a little out of breath. You can't put that energy and focus into the ball," Nees suggested.

Looking ahead, the coach said he plans to use the next international window to experiment with new attacking combinations and scout fresh talent.

"We need in the next window to try other players up front — maybe there is someone who can put the ball in the net," Nees said. "We create chances, but the ball must be put in the net."

He cautioned, however, that players from the domestic league must raise their standards to match the pace of international football.

"The pace in the local league and international football is a different level," he warned. "Players need to get match fitness and start playing regularly for their clubs."

Despite a winless campaign that saw Zimbabwe finish with five points from 10 matches — five draws and five losses — Nees vowed to keep working on the team's weaknesses.

"We have no other option than to continue working hard," he said. "If you put the ball in the net, it releases energy. We need that. We can only continue training and improving — both at clubs and in the national team."

The Warriors' dismal campaign leaves Zimbabwean fans demanding answers — and a new sense of direction — before the continent's biggest football tournament kicks off in 2026.