Published: 3 hours ago

Rwanda's Gilbert Mugisha struck in the 40th minute to hand Zimbabwe a 1-0 defeat in their Group C Africa 2026 World Cup Qualifier at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

The Warriors produced a flat first-half performance, failing to register a single shot on target as Rwanda controlled the tempo. Coach Michael Nees made changes at the break, introducing Tymon Machope and Bill Antonio for Tawanda Maswanhise and Prosper Padera, which briefly lifted Zimbabwe's play.

The best chance of the match fell to Tawanda Chirewa in the 72nd minute after Machope pulled back a clever pass with the Rwandan goalkeeper out of position. However, Chirewa squandered the opportunity, leaving the Warriors frustrated.

The defeat heaps further pressure on Nees, who was already under fire following last Friday's loss to Benin. Zimbabwe remain the only winless side in Group C, their qualification hopes effectively over with just four points collected from a possible 24 in eight matches.

The Warriors' struggles highlight a long-running pattern of underperformance in World Cup qualifiers. Since 2010, Zimbabwe have managed just two wins in 29 fixtures, a record that underscores the scale of the challenge facing Nees and his squad.
- newzimbabwe

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