OPINION: I left Morocco with memories, the Warriors return with a mission
The last time I was in Morocco, I didn’t quite enjoy the experience.
I travelled to the North African country in December last year, for the 31st edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals.
For someone who had never been to Morocco, my thinking was blinkered on the fact that since the country shares a border with Spain, it could also have similarities with the largest country in Southern Europe, if what I saw on television was anything to go by.
I pictured Morocco in the same bracket as the Spanish capital Madrid, since television cameras showed the outside view of the Bernabeu, whenever I watched my beloved Real Madrid on television.
Boy was I wrong!
My first disappointment after landing in the city of Agadir, was the condition of the hotel room I had booked on booking.com, which looked nothing like the pictures I had seen.
Exhausted and hungry after an 18-hour flight, I called the taxi driver who had dropped me at the hotel and respectfully asked him to come back, so that he could help me find another one.
By the way, I do have a soft spot for taxi drivers, because my later father was one.
Despite the fact that we were struggling to communicate due to the fact that his English was not that good, the taxi driver selflessly helped me find another hotel, and I checked in at around 21:00 Moroccan time.
The effort the gentleman made to assist me despite the obvious communication barrier, made me realize that kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
I took a shower, checked on my family back home and went straight to bed.
My next struggle would come the next morning, upon the realization that Moroccan cooking heavily relies on wheat, which appears in staple breads and savory porridges.
Flour and I are not the best of friends as far as food consumption is concerned, so I knew I right then, that I would struggle in Morocco in that regard.
My consolation was that despite not enjoying the hospitality in Morocco, watching the Warriors rub shoulders with Africa’s finest at the continental spectacle, would make everything worth it.
When I arrived at the Stade Agadir for the evening kick off between Zimbabwe and 7-time champions Egypt, I was conscious of the fact that it wouldn’t be an easy game.
For me, it was a case of the Warriors simply avoiding an embarrassing defeat, but to my surprise, the game was so competitive that Egypt made a first half change, which was not even injury inspired, but simply tactical.
Against all odds, Prince Dube struck to give the Warriors the lead and I couldn’t believe my eyes!
We played so well in the first half and could have doubled the lead had Washington Navaya shown more composure, when a glorious opportunity came his way.
Unfortunately he didn’t, so Dube’s goal was the difference between the two sides at the half time interval.
Unfortunately, second half goals from Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush proved decisive and we eventually lost the game 2-1.
I even asked Marmoush during the post-match press conference where I was the only Zimbabwean journalist present, what his thoughts were, concerning the Zimbabwean team.
His answer was simple: “Zimbabwe surprised us a lot, they played well and it was a difficult game.”
I’m not going to talk about the Angola game because I felt that 1-1 was a fair result.
With fellow sports journalist Tafadzwa ‘Sticks’ Chigandiwa at the AFCON finals in Morocco.
I was happy for Knowledge Musona after the game, as he had become the first Zimbabwean player to score at three different editions of the AFCON finals- 2017, 2021 and 2025.
Then came the day which I don’t like to remember —December 29, 2025.
I arrived at the Grand Stade de Marrakech with the belief that Zimbabwe would beat neighbors South Africa in the last Group B game, and proceed to the knockout stages of the biannual tournament for the first time ever.
My confidence stemmed from the fact that Zimbabwe held Bafana Bafana in the World Cup qualifiers in Durban at the Moses Mabida Stadium months earlier and would definitely produce a similar fight when it mattered the most.
It was the encounter in which Tawanda Maswanhise produced arguably one of the best goals of the tournament, when he danced past Mbekezeli Mbokazi to fire home from close range.
Warriors star Tawanda Maswanhise celebrates after his spectacular finish against South Africa in Marrakesh. Picture by CAF Online
What Maswanhise did was truly magical and that goal even gave me more confidence that we would win the game and progress to the knockout stages.
But with the game level at 2-2, disaster struck.
Captain Marvellous Nakamba, in the 79th minute, conceded a costly penalty after handling the ball while trying to head the ball clear.
From where I was seated in the stadium, it didn’t look like a handball, but when I saw Moroccan referee Mustapha Kechchaf head to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) screen, I knew our tournament was over.
The penalty was awarded and converted by Oswin Appollis, to kick us out of the competition.
What hurt me the most, was the fact that I realized after the game, that a draw would have have taken us to the next stages of the tournament for the first in our history.
Nakamba apologized to his teammates and the nation at large for his mistake and I totally understood the Hwange-bred midfielder.
Who hasn’t made a mistake?
Myself, then Warriors coach Marian Marinica and captain Marvellous Nakamba before the South Africa game in Marrakesh.
Nine months later, Morocco calls again and so do the Warriors.
Now under the guidance of freshly recruited Spaniard Ramon Catala, the Warriors will kick start their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign against Sierra Leone in Casablanca.
Zimbabwe are in Group B, alongside the Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Equatorial Guinea.
Thursday’s clash at the Ben M’Hamed Stadium in El Jadida, represents Zimbabwe with the perfect opportunity to rise to the occasion and get their AFCON qualifying campaign up and running with a victory over homeless Sierra Leone.
Go Warriors Go!