Zimbabwe midfielder, Andy Rinomhota, has expressed optimism about the Warriors’ readiness to face the Super Eagles in a crucial matchday-six encounter of the 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualifiers at the Goodwill Akpabio International Stadium Uyo, on Tuesday with both teams looking to strengthen their qualification chances, Completesports.com reports.
The reverse fixture, played on 19 November 2023, ended in a 1-1 draw at the Huye Stadium in Butare, Rwanda, with Kelechi Iheanacho’s 67th-minute strike cancelling out Walter Musona’s opener for Zimbabwe in the 26th minute. That match marked Rinomhota’s debut for the Warriors, and the 27-year-old Cardiff City midfielder believes his team has what it takes to challenge the Super Eagles again.
Adapting to Uyo’s Climate
In a video shot by Zimbabwe Football Federation in Uyo on Sunday and published by Zimbabwe Foreign Legion, @officialzf (X), Rinomhota admitted that Zimbabwe are working hard to adapt to the humid conditions in Uyo, drawing from their experiences playing in similar climates in Cameroon and Uganda.
“Yeah, I think the conditions we’ve seen early on, it’s going to be quite a warm, humid environment. So I think we prepared ourselves now for that,” Rinomhota said.
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“It’s going to be in the game as well. Even though the game’s a bit later on [5pm WAT on Tuesday], but still have it in our minds. We had the same in Cameroon, so trying to adjust to that and make sure we start the game well.”
Zimbabwe previously struggled with weather conditions in Yaoundé, where they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Cameroon in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. They also played under similar conditions in Uganda during their goalless draw against Kenya in a makeshift home fixture – in AFCON 2025 qualifying Group J match. Rinomhota believes these experiences will help them prepare for the Uyo test.
Buildup Towards AFCON 2025
Beyond their World Cup qualifying ambitions, Rinomhota revealed that Zimbabwe are using the match against Nigeria as part of their build-up to the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, where they have been drawn in Group B alongside Angola, Egypt, and South Africa.
“With the squad, yeah, I think everyone’s getting in their minds it’s going to be a tough game,” he noted.
“We’re trying to prepare as early as we can and get these minutes and training under our belts… preparing, getting more games together, building the chemistry, and trying to pick momentum and now obviously getting ready for the AFCON games.”
Confident in Zimbabwe’s Chances
Despite facing a star-studded Nigerian side, Rinomhota remains optimistic about Zimbabwe’s chances in Uyo. He recalled the first-leg draw and believes his team can achieve a similar, if not better, result.
“Yeah, I think we’re just very open, optimistic. We obviously think we can go and get a result,” he said.
Also Read: 2026 WCQ: Zimbabwe Will Fight Aggressively Against Super Eagles In Uyo –Rohr
“We got a result against them [Super Eagles] in the past (1-1), albeit in our home environment, say, even though it was in Rwanda. But that was my first game, so that was straight in the test for me.
“But I think even me coming into it in a new environment, the team did really well in that situation, got a 1-1 draw, could have even won that game. So we’re looking to do the same.”
Rinomhota’s Journey to the Warriors
Rinomhota, born in England, was eligible to represent Zimbabwe through his father, but his international journey was initially complicated by Zimbabwean laws requiring him to renounce his British citizenship.
Zimbabwe first attempted to call him up in 2017 and included him in their provisional squad for the 2018 COSAFA Cup. However, administrative challenges delayed his international debut until 19 November 2023, when he played against Nigeria in the World Cup qualifiers.
Now firmly part of the Warriors’ setup, Rinomhota is eager to make an impact as Zimbabwe seeks to secure a historic result in Uyo. The Super Eagles are however, aiming to assert their dominance, claim maximum points on home soil and consolidate their 2026 World Cup qualification revival hopes following the inspiring 2-0 win over Rwanda in Kigali on Friday.
By Nnamdi Ezekute
