Zimbabwe’s 2026 World Cup qualifying hopes suffered another blow as they went down 1-0 to Rwanda in Johannesburg, marking their fourth defeat of the campaign. Gilbert Mugisha’s strike in the 39th minute proved decisive, condemning the Warriors to a frustrating loss and leaving them bottom of Group C with just four points from eight matches.
What hurts most is that Zimbabwe had looked the brighter side for long spells, dominating possession and creating numerous chances — only to be undone by a goal that came against the run of play. The defeat deepens the team’s woes and highlights a growing fragility in front of goal.
Compounding the problem was the absence of key players such as Marvelous Nakamba, Divine Lunga, Teenage Hadebe, and Tino Kadewere, which forced coach Michael Nees to hand full international debuts to youngsters Prosper Padera and Thando Ngwenya. Despite showing promise and working hard, neither could change the team’s fortunes.
While Nees appreciated the effort and believed the performance showed determination, there was still a deep sense of disappointment — the result never came, and the fans again went home empty-handed.
With only two qualifiers remaining, versus Lesotho and South Africa, Zimbabwe now must reignite the passion and discipline that built their reputation. There’s still time for redemption, but the window is closing fast.
