A Europe-based star has insisted that Orlando Stadium is also his home ahead of his return to the ground with his national team.
Zimbabwe defender Marshall Munetsi is a familiar name in South African top-flight football, having spent three years contracted to Orlando Pirates, although his stint there was interrupted by a couple of loan spells at Baroka FC.
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Having joined Bucs in July 2016 from FC Cape Town, the centre-back would go on to make just 37 appearances for the club before he was eventually released in 2019, and would go on to join Stade Reims in France.
Now an established star for the Ligue 1 outfit, with 138 appearances for the club to date, Munetsi has now returned to familiar territory while on international duty, with the Warriors set to face Lesotho at his former home ground in Soweto in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Friday afternoon.
None of the stadiums in Zimbabwe have been deemed appropriate to host FIFA matches, forcing the Warriors to utilise Orlando Stadium as their home venue for World Cup qualification.
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Speaking ahead of their match against Lesotho, Munetsi said his side were not yet thinking about Bafana Bafana, whom they will play against next week in Bloemfontein.
"It's always a privilege to be back representing our country and I'm just happy that most of the guys have made it," the 27-year-old said, according to Soccer24.
"We have seen Lesotho draw with Nigeria so it's obviously a tough game.
"Every game is a challenge for us, we are obviously not thinking about South Africa yet because Lesotho are no pushovers."
Munetsi went on to suggest that he feels at home when he is at Orlando Stadium, and urged his Mzansi-based compatriots to rally behind the team.
"I won't even mention the [fans] that are back home, I will mention the ones that are here in South Africa because a lot of our people are here [in South Africa]," he added.
"Orlando is also my home, so I urge them to come."
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Kick-off for the qualifier between Zimbabwe and Lesotho is scheduled for 15:00 on Friday afternoon, with both teams yet to win a 2026 WC qualifier after two matches played.
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