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Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
AT a time when Martin Mapisa was beginning to attract interest from better profiled clubs in Europe, he decided to return home and dumped the lower rungs of Spanish football where he had forged ties over the past six years.
Mapisa surprised all and sundry when he inked a deal with Dynamos at the start of the current season.
The Aces Youth Soccer Academy graduate had never played football in the local top-flight after he joined Spanish lower league side Almunecar City straight from the Waterfalls nursery in 2018.
The 25-year-old had ups and downs playing in the lower leagues of this European country where he turned out for Velez, Barrio NS Remedios, Zamora, Llanera and most recently Malaga City.
But he was being restricted to cameo roles at Malaga City.
Several other lower league clubs across Spain and Europe came knocking but they did not guarantee the Zimbabwean game time.
And he elected to retrace his footsteps back home where both Dynamos and defending league champions Ngezi Platinum Stars wanted him.
Although it was Ngezi Platinum Stars who acted swiftly, they could not agree certain terms with the towering goalkeeper, who then settled for Dynamos.
“I played in Europe for like six years, so something happened, like you know, personal issues and stuff like that and in the way I was not getting enough game-time,” Mapisa said.
“Then I looked at myself and thought well I am not growing any younger, so I decided to come back home.
“I decided to come back home and play for the country’s biggest club and I will keep on pushing and you never know what comes up.
“There were a lot of interest from other clubs in Europe and in the local scene. I wanted to sign for Ngezi Platinum Stars but we couldn’t strike a deal so I decided to go Dynamos.
“For me, those two clubs offered me a chance to play at continental level as Ngezi Platinum Stars are in the CAF Champions League and Dynamos in the CAF Confederation Cup.
“So, I had to pick between those two.
“European clubs were very open to me but they were saying the same thing…they wouldn’t give me a lot of minutes.”
Mapisa has started his Dynamos journey well managing six clean sheets in nine games. The Warriors fringe goalkeeper has conceded just five goals since taking over the Dynamos Number 1 jersey from Prince Tafiremutsa.
While he is still making his baby steps in the rigours of the domestic league, Mapisa says football is the same everywhere and reuniting with some of his ex-teammates at national and academy who include roving defender Emmanuel Jalai makes his life easier at DeMbare.
“It’s not a very big challenge.
“This is my first time to play in the local league but I have played for the national team right from Under-17 up to the senior team with different players like Emmanuel Jalai who are helping me adjust to life at Dynamos.
“Generally, football is the same everywhere, so far so good, I am coping. I am getting used to life at Dynamos. We are pushing as a team,” he said.
“Dynamos players have welcomed me very well and you can tell by how well we are gelling as a team.
“I can’t complain, I am home as well and they have been of help in my integration into the team.
“I feel blessed to be here playing for the biggest club in the country and we are trying our best to climb up the ladder.”
Mapisa will be expected to lead from the back when Dynamos who have had a slow start to the championship marathon face Herentals at Rufaro on Sunday.
Online Reporter