Michael Nees proud after Warriors hold Bafana Bafana in front of home crowd

The result puts pressure on Bafana Bafana, who now sit two points behind Group C leaders Benin heading into their final qualifier - a tough showdown against Nigeria.

For Zimbabwe, who are already out of the qualification race, the draw served as a confidence boost and a critical step in their preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

"I think we could have done more, honestly," Nees told Pan Africa Football post-match.

"But this is exactly the kind of game we need - where the players challenge themselves and raise the bar."

With AFCON just around the corner, Nees made it clear that Zimbabwe aren't going to Morocco just to participate.

"We don't want to be tourists. We want to be in Marrakech on New Year's Eve, ready for the knockout stages. That's our ambition, and everything we do now is building toward that," he said.

Despite Zimbabwe's elimination from the World Cup race, Nees sees strong signs of growth in his squad.

"There are always going to be ups and downs, but this was a good test," he added.

"Not many teams can come to South Africa, in front of a full stadium, and leave with a result. We showed fight, discipline, and quality - and for that, I'm proud."