Zimbabwe suffered a 2–0 defeat to Burkina Faso in their first international friendly at Stade El Bachir, Mohammédia, on Friday.
Burkina Faso dominated early, scoring twice in the first half through Stephane Aziz Ki and Cyriaque Irie.
Zimbabwe struggled to contain their pressure and relied on counterattacks, creating a few chances but failing to convert.
The Warriors improved in the second half and had opportunities through Daniel Msendami and Tinotenda Kadewere, but couldn’t find the net.
Ahead of the match, Warriors coach Michael Nees told the media on Thursday that the game is about more than just winning, it’s also about the team’s performance. He said:
We must gradually improve our performances and that’s the best prediction for a good result.
We have to respect also the opponent; they’re a little bit higher ranked than us in the FIFA ranking. It’s a good side, they’re also qualified for the AFCON and are in second position in their World Cup group.
They have some very good players. For us, we want to win, no doubt about that, but we also want to integrate the new players and see if they can cope on that level and how they settle in our way of playing together.
We are confident in our own abilities and let’s see how the match evolves.
But of course, we will give everything, we try everything, but in football we also have to respect the opponent.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe will face Niger on 10 June in their final friendly of the current FIFA window.
Back to top