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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter

SPAIN-based goalkeeper Martin Mapisa has been handed his senior national team debut in the the final 2021 African Cup of Nations football qualifier against Zambia at the National Sports Stadium tonight.
The match kicks-off at 9pm.

Mapisa, who plies his trade at Spanish side Zamora, has previously played for the national Under-23 side and is widely seen as one of the solutions to the goalkeeping problems rocking the Warriors for the past three years.

The highly-rated goalie sat out the last match against Botswana which the Warriors 1-0 won to secure a third successive AFCON finals appearance, as his Covid-19 results were declared inconclusive.

Talbert Shumba guarded the posts with Ariel Sibanda the understudy.

However, Mapisa has been given the responsibility in a match Warriors coach is largely valuing as it has a lot including bragging rights at stake.

The coach has made wholesale changes to the team that started against Botswana with only wingbacks Takudzwa Chimwemwe and Onismor Bhasera as well as Ovidy Karuru retaining their places.

Malaysia-based defender Victor Kamhuka partners Alec Mudimu in central defence with Butholezwe Ncube providing the shield.

Tafadzwa Rusike will play the box-to-box role with Last Jesi and Romario Matova coming from the wings while Karuru will be deployed behind Evans Rusike in a 4-4-2 formation.

Warriors starting X1

Martin Mapisa

Takudzwa Chimwemwe
Onismor Bhasera
Alec Mudimu
Victor Kamhuka
Butholezwe Ncube
Romario Matova
Ovidy Karuru
Last Jesi
Tafadzwa Rusike
Evans Rusike