When the Zimbabwe national team finally touched down in Uyo, Nigeria, for their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Super Eagles, it was after a tiring journey marked by an unexpected delay. Yet, any lingering frustration melted away once they experienced the warm welcome and impressive facilities awaiting them.

Michael Nees, the Warriors’ head coach, couldn’t hide his satisfaction with the accommodations and training conditions in the city. Speaking to the Warriors’ media team, Nees described their hotel as “fine” and “spacious,” noting that it once served as the base for Nigeria’s national team before their relocation to another venue.

“The hotel is fine, we’ve settled in. We were delayed yesterday because our flight was cancelled, so we lost a couple of hours,” Nees shared. “Hotel is very spacious, we cannot complain about that, that was the former hotel of Nigeria who have moved now to another hotel.”

The team may have lost precious time due to the travel disruption, but they quickly shifted focus to their preparations. Their first training session on Sunday provided further encouragement, as Nees praised the quality of the pitch in Uyo.

“You can see for yourself, we would be happy to have something like this in our own country – really very good, impressed,” he remarked, clearly pleased with the soft surface that allowed for smooth movement.

Nees was also optimistic about the main stadium pitch, expressing confidence that the playing surface for Tuesday’s encounter would be even better.

“The training pitch is soft, not too hard. The stadium pitch, I expect even better,” he added.

Despite the rocky start to their journey, the Warriors are now fully focused on the task ahead. With the Super Eagles boasting a formidable lineup, Zimbabwe knows they will need every advantage the high-quality facilities offer to mount a strong challenge in their World Cup qualification campaign.

As the clock ticks down to matchday, Nees and his players are channeling their energy into making the most of their time in Uyo, determined to leave no stone unturned in their quest for a positive result.