Zimbabwe held to 1-1 draw by Niger in friendly encounter

The Zimbabwe senior men's national football team was held to a 1-1 draw by Niger in an international friendly match played on Tuesday at Stade Père Jégo Stadium in Morocco.

The encounter saw coach Michael Nees field a significantly changed starting eleven from the one that faced Burkina Faso last Friday. Magesi FC shot-stopper Elvis Chipezeze was handed his debut under Nees, while midfielder Jonah Fabisch and striker Tawanda Macheke were also given starts in a reshuffled lineup.

Looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2-0 defeat against Burkina Faso, the Warriors made an early statement when Gerald Takwara put them ahead in the 9th minute. The midfielder capitalised on a goalmouth scramble and tapped home from close range to give Zimbabwe the lead.

Despite applying pressure throughout the first half, Zimbabwe were unable to breach Niger's defensive line again and went into the halftime break with a narrow 1-0 advantage.

In the second half, Nees brought on third-choice goalkeeper Marley Tavaziva, giving the young goalkeeper his senior international debut. However, Tavaziva's maiden outing was blemished in the 71st minute when Niger equalised from the penalty spot.

The Warriors nearly reclaimed the lead in the 80th minute, but Walter Musona's powerful effort rattled the crossbar, leaving Zimbabwe to settle for a draw.

Tuesday's result marks Michael Nees' fifth draw in ten matches as Warriors head coach. Under his tenure so far, Zimbabwe has managed two victories, suffered three defeats, and drawn five games.

While the Warriors continue to show glimpses of promise, results remain inconsistent as Nees works to rebuild the team ahead of future international commitments.