Zimbabwe head coach Michael Nees was full of praise for the Warriors following their late show at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo that saw them snatch a last gasp draw against the Super Eagles on Tuesday.
Victor Osimhen’s 74th-minute goal appeared to have sealed the win for the Super Eagles before the Warriors responded in the dying embers, as second half substitute Tawanda Chirewa pounced on a defensive error to secure a point for the visitors.
Zimbabwe stay rooted to the bottom of group C despite gaining a point in Uyo with their chances of earning qualification mathematically impossible. Nevertheless, Warriors head coach Nees expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance in Uyo.
Speaking to reporters in a post-match press conference after the game, Nees pointed out Nigeria’s defensive weariness in the closing stages and even suggested that with a little more time, the Warriors would have turned the game on its head.
“Nigeria came into the game full of confidence after their win against Rwanda, and we knew that the longer the game went on, the slower they would become—and that is exactly what happened,” said the German coach.
“We showed that we don’t give up, and I think with three more minutes, we would have come away with a win because, in defence, your team was physically exhausted.
“We showed that we can play football; we didn’t just park the bus. Nigeria started aggressively and wanted to end the game quickly, but it didn’t work out. We resisted and showed resilience.”
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