QATAR 2022: HOW ZIMBABWE CAN QUALIFY

Zimbabwe have already started their journey towards qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament in Qatar. The journey to qualify for Qatar 2022 started for Zimbabwe in the first round of the African qualifiers for the tournament due to their low position in the FIFA Rankings. They were drawn against Somalia in the first round and were able to progress to the second round after a 3-2 aggregate win over the two legs played in 2019. Anwar Shakunda gave Somalia a 1-0 lead at home at the end of the first leg but Zimbabwe were able to respond in the second leg after a brief scare. Zimbabwe won the second leg 3-1 at home to secure passage into the next round. Marshall Munetsi, Admiral Muskwe and KhamaBilliat were the goalscorers for Zimbabwe, while Somalia got what proved to be mere consolation goal in the second leg through Omar Mohammed.

For the second round, four teams have been drawn into each group and there are ten groups in total. At the end of proceedings in each group, the group winner will advance into the third and final round of the African qualifiers. Zimbabwe can’t afford any slipups in their own group if they want to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in their history ahead of the next edition in Qatar at the end of next year. The World Cup 2022 tournament in Qatar starts on November 21 and ends on December 18. Zimbabwe have a tough group to navigate after they were drawn with the likes of Ghana, South Africa and Ethiopia in Group G. Only the group winner will qualify for the next round.

In the last round, the ten teams would be the drawn into five ties and the winner of the ties will qualify for the tournament in Qatar next year. Five teams will represent Africa at the tournament in Qatar next year.