Vusumuzi Dube
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
SPAIN based goalkeeper, Martin Mapisa will start in goals for Zimbabwe in their last group fixture at the Cosafa Cup when they face Senegal at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Gqeberha, South Africa on Tuesday.
Other changes to the team that lost to Namibia on Sunday see captain Ovidy Karuru being dropped to the bench, with the Warriors to be led by Qadr Amini.
Mapisa, whose only match for the Warriors was when they lost 2-0 to Zambia at the National Sports Stadium in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier will start against Senegal after Washington Arubi picked up an injury in the loss to Namibia on Sunday. Arubi started in three of the matches and managed to keep a clean sheet once in the 0-0 draw against Mozambique before he conceded four goals, two against Malawi and same number when Zimbabwe suffered a 2-0 loss to Namibia.
The injury picked up by Arubi means Zimbabwe do not have a substitute goalkeeper against Senegal. Also injured is Zambia based Jimmy Dzingai.
Mapisa has been given his first start of the tournament together with Malvin Mkolo and Delic Murimba.
Zimbabwe must win against Senegal to stand a chance of progressing to the semifinals as only the top two in each group progress to the last four.
Warriors starting lineup against Senegal: M Mapisa, L Mucheto, Q Amini, S Nyahwa, Mavhurume, M Mkolo, P Musaka, B Sarupinda, B Banda, R Hachiro, D Murimba
Substitutes: M Phiri, F Matare, N Dube, O Karuru, A Mbeba, K Nadolo
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Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter