Wissa Inspires DR Congo to Victory as Zimbabwe Return Home with Defeat

Yoane Wissa scored one goal and assisted another as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) defeated Zimbabwe 2-1 in Harare to maintain their perfect start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign.

The Newcastle United forward opened the scoring in the 30th minute after Zimbabwe goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze failed to hold onto a cross, allowing Wissa to react quickly and poke the loose ball into the net.

DR Congo doubled their advantage in first-half stoppage time when Wissa turned provider, playing Samuel Moutoussamy through on goal. The midfielder made no mistake with the finish to give the visitors a 2-0 lead at the break.

Zimbabwe came out stronger after the interval and created more opportunities as they attempted to fight their way back into the match.

Their efforts eventually paid off in the third minute of added time when Marshall Munetsi scored to reduce the deficit.

However, the Warriors could not find a second goal as DR Congo held on for an important away victory.

Zimbabwe return to Harare

The match marked Zimbabwe’s first home international fixture in Harare since November 2021.

The venue had been deemed unsuitable for international matches, resulting in a lengthy renovation programme before the stadium was cleared to host competitive fixtures again.

The homecoming ultimately ended in disappointment for Zimbabwe, who were unable to prevent DR Congo from taking maximum points.

DR Congo lead Group E

The victory leaves DR Congo at the top of Group E with six points from two matches.

The Leopards had opened their qualifying campaign with a 2-0 home victory over Equatorial Guinea before securing another three points in Harare.

DR Congo, who reached the last 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, are now firmly in control of their qualifying group.

Zimbabwe remain on three points, while Equatorial Guinea also have three points after defeating Sierra Leone 1-0.

Sierra Leone are yet to register a point.

Equatorial Guinea edge Sierra Leone

Equatorial Guinea secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Sierra Leone in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Loren Zuniga scored in the opening minute to give Equatorial Guinea an early lead, which they successfully defended until the final whistle.

The victory keeps Equatorial Guinea in contention in Group E, although they are among the teams currently forced to play their home matches at neutral venues because their stadium does not meet international standards.

Botswana hold Tunisia to another draw

Elsewhere, Botswana held Tunisia to a 2-2 draw in Rades, extending their impressive start to the qualifying campaign.

Tunisia appeared on course for victory after Hazem Mastouri scored twice, with Botswana having taken the lead earlier in the match.

However, substitute Lebogang Ditsele produced a superb lob in the second half to restore parity and earn Botswana another valuable point.

The result was Botswana’s second consecutive 2-2 draw after they shared the points with Libya in their previous match.

Botswana remain top of Group H on goals scored, ahead of Tunisia.

The result also means Tunisia are still searching for their first competitive victory of the year.

Burkina Faso defeat Central African Republic

In another Group F fixture, Burkina Faso defeated the Central African Republic 1-0 in Casablanca, Morocco.

Aboubacar Camara scored the decisive second-half goal to give Burkina Faso all three points.

The Central African Republic are another of the teams currently unable to host international matches at home because of stadium requirements.

With the 2027 AFCON qualifiers gathering pace, teams across the continent will now turn their attention to the next round of fixtures, with several groups already beginning to take shape.

Follow the African360 Sports channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbDrVn8HrDZe4uoLW42r