When the teams were drawn into their Africa Cup of Nations groups, fans of Zimbabwe national team would have been forgiven for letting out a collective sign of disappointment as they were to face a tough set of opponents.
Currently ranked 49th, Cameroon led the way in the group, with Kenya (currently 108th) and Namibia (111th) all sitting ahead of Zimbabwe, who are the 121st best team in the men’s game.
While the rankings do not always decide who will top a group or win a competition, they can allude to how the matches may end and who will qualify for a tournament.
By this metric, things looked bleak for Zimbabwe.
They arrived for their first game against Kenya at the Mandela National Stadium knowing that a positive result was vital. While Zimbabwe saw just over 40% of the ball, they were unable to score. Impressively, they did hit the target more than hots (two shots on target to one) in a game of few real chances.
Their 0-0 draw was to be the start of a strong defensive run on which Zimbabwe were able to base their campaign. Mere days later, Zimbabwe secured a second successive 0-0 draw, this time at home against favourites Cameroon.
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While Zimbabwe only saw 40% of the ball, but they put in a much-improved attacking performance, threatening Cameroon’s goal with 17 shots, of which five hit the target.
With two points from two games, Zimbabwe had started well, but they were going to need to find a win from somewhere if they were to keep a top spot within reach.
Then came their clash with Namibia.
Their opponents had already been beaten by Cameroon (1-0) and Kenya (2-1), meaning they were looking like the weakest side in the group. Zimbabwe had to pounce, and they did exactly that.
A single goal proved decisive as Khama Billiat scored from the spot in the first-half to secure an invaluable three points for his nation. Coupled with Kenya’s heavy 4-1 defeat to Cameroon, Zimbabwe were sitting on five points to Kenya’s four.
In the reverse of their fixture against Namibia, Zimbabwe put the travelling side away easily, winning 3-1 to make it two wins and two draws in four matches.
Then came the real crunch match. Zimbabwe had to host Kenya before travelling to take on unbeaten Cameroon in their final game. All the signs pointed to Zimbabwe needing to ensure Kenya did not take all three points from their clash.
Sitting on eight points to Kenya’s four, a draw in this match would see the gap stay at four points. Defeat would see Kenya move to within a single point, meaning they may have to beat Cameroon in their final game.
In a match of few clear-cut chances, Zimbabwe scored in the 32nd minute to give themselves breathing room. However, Kenya hit back in the 52nd minute to set up a nervy end to the game.
Despite seeing just shy of 40% of the ball in the game, Zimbabwe’s defence once again came to the rescue. Their backline had only conceded two goals to this point, and that is where they stayed. Zimbabwe were not allowed to finish the half without one or two nervy moments, but they got the job done under extreme pressure.
Zimbabwe went on to lose 2-1 to Cameroon on the road, but it mattered little. Zimbabwe were assured of second at least, while Kenya were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw by Namibia, meaning Zimbabwe would have made it to AFCON 2025 regardless.
The scale of their achievement is one that should not be underestimated. As one of the lowest ranked teams, Zimbabwe will arrive for the tournament as one of the major underdogs, unfancied when it comes to securing the trophy. Zimbabwe have it all to do.
At the competition in 2025, we expect to see more of the same patterns emerging for Zimbabwe. Any foray into the knockout phases will be built on a strong defence that keeps the opposition out.
Worrying is the fact they only managed to score six goals across their six games in qualifying. While Kenya and Namibia sit above Zimbabwe in the world rankings, the quality of opposition only increases once at the tournament.
If Zimbabwe are to get out of their group, it will likely be more smash and grab football and for that reason it is no surprise they are outsiders for AFCON 2025 in the latest tips from Bets.co.za.
The worry for them is that the standard of attacking from the opposition will be better, while tournament football matches are often won by a single goal, and we worry about their ability to get on the scoresheet.
Positively, they did only taste defeat once in their six group games, while they held Cameroon to a 0-0 draw. Zimbabwe are good enough to compete in each game they play, and they will relish the chance to shock the supposed favourites at AFCON 2025.