Beleaguered Zifa Normalisation Committee chairman Lincoln Mutasa is adamant that the Warriors will qualify for the 2026 World Cup despite an embarrassing 2-0 defeat to minnows Lesotho at Orlando Stadium, South Africa on Friday.
The defeat left the team rooted at the bottom of the six team Group C standings with two points from three matches.
Zimbabwe faces South Africa’s Bafana Bafana next in Bloemfontein on Tuesday as they search for their first win of the campaign.
Speaking during the luncheon for the Warriors hosted at the Zimbabwe Embassy in Pretoria by Ambassador David Hamadziripi on Saturday, Mutasa referred to the current group of players as the ‘dream team’ which will get the country to the next World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
“The only disappointment that we have is that yesterday’s result didn’t go as we really wanted but this is a marathon. That was the third game out of 10 so we still have seven more games to go and we believe the bonding that we had yesterday is really the beginning of good things,” Mutasa said.
“We used to have what they call the dream team and they did very well in the 1990s. I believe this team that we are seeing here is the real deal and I believe they will get us to go to the World Cup.
“Don’t worry about yesterday’s result , but we are going to try our level best to make sure that at the end of the rounds we are sitting well on top and able to qualify,” he said.
The event was also graced by NC fellow board member Sikhumbuzo Ndebele.
In attendance were representatives of the Warriors squad, notably those who did not feature in yesterday’s clash with Lesotho.
Meanwhile, the rest of the squad engaged in their post-match rest and recovery routines.
The team is scheduled to depart for Bloemfontein on Sunday.