Zimbabwe head coach Kaitano Tembo has described the Super Eagles as one of the biggest teams in African football ahead of both nations' clash at the Unity Cup tournament in London.
Nigeria and Zimbabwe will face off in the opening semi-final fixture at The Valley on Tuesday, with both sides battling for a place in the final of the invitational tournament.
Speaking during Monday's pre-match press conference, Tembo acknowledged the pedigree and quality of the Super Eagles while insisting that Zimbabwe are also working towards becoming a stronger force on the continent.
"It is a well known fact that Nigeria is one of the powers in Africa football and we do respect them," Tembo said.
"But at the same time also we try to be on the rise as a nation, in terms of competing at the highest level."
The Zimbabwean tactician noted that the Warriors are aiming to build on their recent participation at the Africa Cup of Nations as they continue preparations for the upcoming 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
"We are just coming off participating at the Africa Cup of Nations, so we are also trying to build that momentum, in terms of preparing for our qualifiers in September," he added.
"I think this will also give us a good platform in terms of preparation for us to prepare for that. I think Nigeria, Jamaica, and India give us a perfect opportunity in terms of playing against stronger opportunities."
Zimbabwe head into the encounter with confidence after avoiding defeat against Nigeria during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying series last year.
However, Tembo stressed that previous meetings between both nations would have little impact on Tuesday's contest, describing the Unity Cup as a completely different challenge.
"It is always important to play with confidence but I think this is a totally different game and tournament," he stated.
"So you always treat each match that we play with caution. I think past results don't matter at the moment, what matters is for us to make sure that we focus and give our opponent the respect that they deserve."
Tembo will now hope to guide Zimbabwe to a positive result in their maiden appearance at the Unity Cup as they seek to continue their steady progress on the international stage.
Adeyemi Adewale
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