The Warriors kicked off their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign with a 0-0 draw against hosts Kenya at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, Uganda, on Friday afternoon.
The match started cautiously, with both teams struggling to create meaningful scoring opportunities.
Zimbabwe’s first significant chance came in the 7th minute when Prince Dube squared the ball to Walter Musona in the box, but the Simba Bhora captain couldn’t connect after Kenyan goalkeeper Byrne Omondi rushed out to defuse the threat.
As the match progressed, Kenya began to assert their dominance in possession, yet they failed to trouble veteran Warriors goalkeeper Washington Arubi, who was preferred over Brentford’s Marley Tavaziva.
The Harambee Stars were forced into an early substitution in the 21st minute when Amos Nondi replaced the injured defender Alphonce Omija.
Zimbabwe had a golden opportunity in the 35th minute when Prince Dube linked up with Khama Billiat, who set up an unmarked Jordan Zemura inside the box.
However, the Udinese fullback slipped, allowing the Kenyan goalkeeper to gather the ball easily.
The teams went into halftime with the score still tied at zero, leaving fans hopeful for a more action-packed second half.
In the early exchanges of the second half, Zimbabwe generated some promising opportunities but failed to convert.
Warriors coach Michael Nees made his first changes in the 58th minute, throwing Tawanda Maswanhise for Walter Musona and Daniel Msendami for Tawanda Chirewa into the fray.
In the 75th minute, Msendami made a great run, setting up captain Marshall Munetsi, whose left-footed shot sailed high and wide.
In the 82nd minute, Nees brought on Douglas Mapfumo for Prince Dube in a like-for-like substitution. The Warriors’ substitutes added urgency to their attack, but the match ultimately ended in a stalemate.
Despite the draw, it was a positive result for Zimbabwe, particularly after their previous two encounters with Kenya ended in losses of 3-1 and 2-0.
In the other Group J match, Cameroon will host Namibia at the Roumdé Adjia Stadium on Saturday at 6 PM.
The Warriors will then “host” Cameroon at the Mandela National Stadium next Tuesday.
More: Pindula News