Zimbabwe’s Warriors wrapped up their international friendly series in Morocco with a 1–1 draw against Niger at Stade Père-Jégo, Casablanca, in a match that saw several new faces step up, including young goalkeeper Marley Tavaziva, who made his senior debut and looked confident between the posts.
Head coach Michael Nees made several changes following the 2–0 defeat to Burkina Faso, with Elvis Chipezeze starting in goal before being replaced by Tavaziva in the second half. Also handed starts were Ishe Mauchi, Jonah Fabisch, and Sean Fusire.
Zimbabwe struck early, with Gerald Takwara finishing from close range in the 9th minute after a flurry of corners. The Warriors controlled large parts of the match, with Fabisch particularly standing out in midfield for his composure and smart passing.
Despite a dominant display, Zimbabwe were pegged back in the 71st minute when Niger converted from the penalty spot. Substitute Walter Musona nearly restored the lead with a powerful strike from distance that hit the crossbar.
In goal, Marley Tavaziva made a composed and confident debut, pulling off a couple of neat saves and showing strong command of his area—an encouraging sign for Zimbabwe’s future between the sticks.