Kenya’s national football team coach, Enjin Firat, has expressed his admiration for Zimbabwe’s squad of talented players ahead of their clash in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Grouped together in Group J alongside Cameroon and Namibia, both teams are gearing up for competitive encounters.

Despite recent challenges faced by Zimbabwe both on and off the field, Firat perceives them as formidable opponents capable of influencing Kenya’s path to the finals in Morocco. Despite Zimbabwe’s recent setbacks in World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho and South Africa, Firat acknowledges the quality and depth of talent within their ranks.

Firat highlighted, “We are in a tough group, especially Zimbabwe. They may be in pot four due to FIFA sanctions, but their players showcase quality across various top leagues like the Turkish Super League.” He cited examples such as Teenage Hadebe, who has played in Turkey and the USA, and Marshall Munetsi in France’s Ligue 1, among others.

Acknowledging the diverse roster of Zimbabwean players in European leagues including Italy’s Serie A and England’s Premier League, Firat emphasized the strength and depth of the team. Despite Kenya’s recent victory over Zimbabwe in Malawi, Firat remains cautious, knowing that the upcoming encounter could present new challenges under potentially different coaching leadership for the Warriors.

Looking ahead to their fixtures, Kenya faces Zimbabwe away in September, followed by matches against Cameroon and Namibia in October. The upcoming qualifiers promise to be intense as both teams vie for a place in the Africa Cup of Nations finals.

In other news – Zimbabwean man escapes police custody, wanted for series of violent crimes in Limpopo

Detectives in Limpopo’s Sekhukhune District have launched an extensive manhunt for Lovemore Musoyi, a 35-year-old Zimbabwean national who is their “most wanted suspect”. Musoyi is sought in connection with over 10 criminal cases ranging from murder and attempted murder to armed robberies, house robberies, business robberies, kidnapping, assaults, stock theft, and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, according to Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, spokesperson for Limpopo police.