BULAWAYO – Zimbabwe national football team interim Joey Antipas has denied she has resigned, insisting that he is open to staying on in the role.

Antipas, who guided Warriors to a 2-1 victory over Zambia in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Tuesday night, said it was entirely up to the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) to decide his fate.

“I never said that I’m quitting. It’s only that my mandate has expired. My mandate was for the six games, two in the World Cup qualifiers against Somalia, two against Lesotho in the CAF African Nations Championship and the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Zambia and Botswana. It’s entirely up to ZIFA to decide what’s next. I am open to anything,” he said.

Antipas was a relieved man on Tuesday night after star forward Khama Billiat struck twice in Lusaka as Zimbabwe produced a fighting performance to revive their hopes of qualifying for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Zimbabwe now head into the ten-month break in second place on four points, two points behind leaders Algeria who asserted themselves as Group H leaders on Monday after defeating Botswana 1-0.

Antipas doubles up as the Chicken Inn coach and now turns his focus to a critical three season-ending matches which will decide the destiny of the Premier League title.