“The pressure is on the Super Eagles, not us” – Zimbabwe captain Marshall Munetsi

Zimbabwe captain Marshall Munetsi has played down expectations on his side ahead of their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Soccernet.ng reports. 

In a bid to revive their World Cup hopes, the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations champions are vying for all points in the remaining games of their campaign. The Wolverhampton player's insistence is that the pressure lies squarely on the Super Eagles.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Uyo, Munetsi noted that Zimbabwe’s squad, made up largely of Europe-based players, is more comfortable playing away from home.

“Not really,” Munetsi said when asked if Zimbabwe were feeling any pressure. “I think you see most of the [Zimbabwe] players are playing in Europe, far away from home. So playing away games is better than playing at home. The pressure is always on the home team.”

The former Stade de Reims midfielder believes that if Zimbabwe can start strong against Nigeria, the Super Eagles will feel the weight of expectation from the home crowd.

“If we manage to start the game well, then the pressure is on them to try to get a good result,” he added.

Despite the stakes, Munetsi expressed excitement at the prospect of playing at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, as he salutes its quality and atmosphere.

“It’s a pleasure to be here playing in such a stadium with good capacity. So we are just here to enjoy the game.”

Zimbabwe drew 2-2 with Rwanda in their last outing, coming back from 2-0 down to Benin Republic, while Nigeria is looking to build on their last victory.