National pride over club ties for Lunga in decisive AFCON clash

The final group match kicks off at 17:00 (18:00 SA time) at the Marrakech Stadium, with Zimbabwe needing maximum points to keep their AFCON dream alive and reach the knockout stages for the first time.

Bafana Bafana, meanwhile, require only a draw to progress, but encounters between the two southern African rivals are traditionally tight and fiercely contested.

"Yes, we are teammates and brothers, but in the field of play I don't think anyone will say this my brother because the game is like that, and then after the game, friendships will continue. We are not fighting, we are just playing the game. All that I have to do is fight for the badge in this game, it's nothing personal."

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Lunga is expected to line up against several of his Sundowns teammates, including Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Aubrey Modiba and Teboho Mokoena, adding an extra emotional layer to an already high-stakes encounter.

The two nations recently met in the FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers, a match that was finely balanced throughout.

Lunga says friendship and club loyalty will be put aside for 90 minutes as national pride takes centre stage...

Zimbabwe head into the clash tied with Angola on one point, two points behind Bafana, who are coming off a narrow defeat to Egypt.

According to Lunga, the Warriors’ biggest challenge in their opening matches has been a failure to convert chances — an area they are determined to improve against Hugo Broos’ side.

The 30-year-old has also been deployed in a more advanced role under new Zimbabwe head coach Mario Marinică, operating higher up the pitch — a tactical tweak that could prove crucial as the Warriors chase a historic result...

"We are going to approach the game, the coach wants us to, and I know it's not going to be an easy one, but we will try our best to collect maximum points."