Bulawayo — Former Warriors' great, Norman Mapeza risks soiling his reputation when he leads a second-string Zimbabwe side against minnows Malawi, in an Africa Cup of Nations Group 12 qualifier at Barbourfields Stadium, this afternoon.

Both teams are already out of the tournament set for Ghana early next year after they allowed Morocco to run away with the sole ticket from the three-team group.

Mapeza was a surprise choice to lead the Warriors after the Zimbabwe Football Association fired Charles Mhlauri in June, following a string of poor results.

The former Galatasaray player had hardly settled in his first job as coach at lowly Monomotapa, when he was appointed caretaker national team coach.

Mhlauri's critics say he lost the plot when he insisted on untested players on the pretext he was building a squad for the 2010 Fifa World Cup tournament, to be held in South Africa.

But Mapeza appears determined to follow the same route and today, leading a team short of experience but oozing with talent. However, the young coach insists he is taking the match seriously and predicted nothing short of victory.

"There is nothing like a dead-rubber in football, as we have to start winning all our matches in order to climb up the Fifa rankings," Mapeza said.

Zimbabwe, once ranked among the top 10 in Africa, has slumped to unfamiliar territory and now ranks 101 in the world.

"This is all in preparation for the 2010 World Cup," Mapeza said. "We are rebuilding and fans in Bulawayo must come out in their numbers and support the boys because we will be playing to win."

Mapeza's plans were disrupted when he lost Clemence Matawu and Obert Moyo, who chose to go for trials with South African teams ahead of representing their country.

However, Matawu's replacement, Mtshumayeli Moyo, has been in terrific form for Shooting Stars and might, alongside experienced Gilbert Banda and Dynamos captain Justice Majabvi, provide leadership on the field.

Zimbabwe's headache might be the first-choice goalkeeper, Washington Arubi, whose dip in form has already seen his team Highlanders lose ground in their defence of the league title.

Only last week, Arubi let in three soft goals against Shooting Stars at the same venue, and could still be short of confidence when he takes to the field against Malawi.

On paper, the visitors are the better side as they brought a competitive side, laced with foreign and local flavour under British coach Stephen Constantine.

The Briton is looking for his first win after five matches in charge. Malawi has lost at home to Senegal and away to Morocco in the last five encounters, where they also failed to win against South Africa, Swaziland and Namibia in the COSAFA Cup.

Orlando Pirates' midfielder, Joseph Kamwendo, who will lead the Flames, will be playing in familiar territory after lighting up the local football scene while turning out for Caps United in 2004.