Sports Correspondent

Zimbabwe national team coach Michael Nees expressed satisfaction with Tinotenda Kadewere’s performance, despite the Warriors’ 2-0 loss to Burkina Faso on Friday.

Kadewere, making his first appearance under Nees after a spell on the sidelines due to injury, started the match and played the full 90 minutes.

“I think Tinotenda Kadewere played very well. I didn’t expect him to last 90 minutes,” Nees said after the match. “My plan was to play him for 60 minutes, but after Khama Billiat was substituted, Tino had to take on more responsibility. He showed quality and remains in good shape. I think he played excellently.”

The coach also acknowledged the efforts of other debutants who featured in the match, emphasizing that the encounter was a valuable test against what he described as Burkina Faso’s strongest team.

“We have several new players, and we wanted to assess them to expand our pool of talent,” Nees added.

Newcomers Sean Fusire and Mason Mushore earned their first caps, while Bill Antonio also made his first appearance under Nees. Jonah Fabisch was named in the squad but did not feature in the game.