Zimbabwe head coach Kaitano Tembo says the Warriors' 1-0 victory over India in the Unity Cup third-place playoff was more about building for the future than the result itself, as the national team continues preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Warriors bounced back from their defeat to Nigeria earlier in the tournament to secure a bronze medal, with the win providing a timely boost ahead of crucial continental assignments.

Despite the positive result, Tembo stressed that the tournament's main objective was to broaden the national team's player pool and assess new talent.

"Winning a game is always good for the morale in the team, but I think we shouldn't think too much about the results because the most important thing for us was to come here, prepare, give opportunities to some of our players and create a bigger pool in terms of profiling our players," said Tembo.

"That is our objective going forward because when we start the qualifiers, we might not have enough time to bring in new players. So this was a perfect platform for us to do that."

Tembo was pleased with the improvements his side showed against India, particularly in defence, after identifying shortcomings in the opening match against Nigeria.

"Defensively we were better. We were a little bit more compact and managed to deal with the threat. Against Nigeria, I think we were a little sluggish and always second on the ball. We conceded goals that we could have prevented," he said.

The former Warriors captain, however, admitted his side still needs to improve its finishing after creating several promising opportunities in both matches.

"We made a lot of inroads behind their defence, but we didn't really have that cutting edge. With a little bit of quality in those areas, we could have scored more goals."

Tembo also defended his decision to make seven changes to the starting line-up, saying the tournament provided a rare opportunity to test players in a competitive environment.

"We could have brought some of our strongest players and maybe against Nigeria it could have been a very different game. But what's important is to come and see the other players that we feel should have a look in the team and prepare them for the real competition," he said.

The coach expressed gratitude to the tournament organisers for providing strong opposition that would help prepare Zimbabwe for the challenges ahead.

"In our group we've got Sierra Leone, Equatorial Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo, so there is no smaller team in Africa anymore. We need to be ready and play under different conditions."

Goalscorer Prince Dube, making a return to the national team after injury setbacks, described the victory as an important step forward for the squad.

"It's always an honour to represent my country. Whenever I get a chance, I just want to do my best and add value to the team," said Dube.

The striker added that the team's focus remains on continuous improvement ahead of the qualifiers.

"It's positive. It's good to win as a team. We just have to continue from here, keep working hard for the country when the games are coming and make sure we are ready."

For Tembo, the victory was not only a reward for the work done during the tournament but also a confidence boost as he continues to shape the next generation of Warriors.

"It's always a good feeling. Winning matches gives a good feeling in terms of building confidence, and I think that's what it has done for me, the players and the group. It will give us more belief going forward," he said.