Zimbabwe suffer home defeat to DRC: AFCON 2027 qualifiers

….Zimbabwe 1-2 DRC

HARARE-(MaraviPost)-Zimbabwe’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 qualification hopes suffered a major setback after falling 2-1 at home to the Democratic Republic of Congo at the National Sports Stadium on Monday, a result that leaves the Leopards in complete control of Group E.

Congo DR defeated Zimbabwe 2-1 in the Africa Cup of Nations Qualification, confirming a second straight win for the Central Africans.

The match finished with Zimbabwe 1 and Congo DR 2 on the final scoreboard after the hosts trailed 0-2 at half-time before winning the second period 1-0.

The defeat comes just four days after Zimbabwe’s dramatic comeback away to Sierra Leone. In El Jadida, Morocco, Zimbabwe defeated Sierra Leone 3-2 after trailing 2-0, with Marshall Munetsi scoring twice and Tawanda Chirewa getting the other.

DRC, meanwhile, had beaten Equatorial Guinea 2-0 in Kinshasa through Chancel Mbemba in the 4th minute and Yoane Wissa in the 72nd minute.

On Monday, Wissa was again decisive. DRC took a two-goal lead into the break at Harare and held on despite Zimbabwe pulling one back after the interval. The result gives DRC six points from two games, while Zimbabwe remain on three.

Group E Standings After Matchday 2

• DR Congo: 2 games, 2 wins, 0 draws, 0 losses, 4 goals scored, 1 conceded, 6 points
• Zimbabwe: 2 games, 1 win, 0 draws, 1 loss, 4 scored, 4 conceded, 3 points
• Sierra Leone: 1 game, 0 points (playing Equatorial Guinea tonight)
• Equatorial Guinea: 1 game, 0 points (playing Sierra Leone tonight in Yaounde)

The top two teams qualify for AFCON 2027 to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from June 19 to July 17, 2027.

What Are The Next Matches?

CAF’s confirmed Group E schedule is:

Matchday 3 & 4 – November 9-17, 2026 window:
11 November: DR Congo vs Sierra Leone
11 November: Equatorial Guinea vs Zimbabwe.

15 November: Sierra Leone vs DR Congo
15 November: Zimbabwe vs Equatorial Guinea.

Matchday 5 & 6 – March 22-30, 2027 window:
24 March 2027: Equatorial Guinea vs DR Congo and Zimbabwe vs Sierra Leone
28 March 2027: DR Congo vs Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone vs Equatorial Guinea.

In simple terms, Zimbabwe have a double-header against Equatorial Guinea next, while DRC face Sierra Leone twice.

What Does Each Team Need To Qualify?

The format is home-and-away across six matchdays. 48 teams are divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two qualifying, except in groups containing co-hosts Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania where only one other team qualifies.

For DR Congo – Needs 4 points from next 2 games to almost guarantee qualification:

DRC are transformed under French coach Sébastien Desabre, who took them to the 2026 World Cup after a 52-year absence. With six points already and a +3 goal difference, the Leopards need just a win against Sierra Leone at Martyrs Stadium and a draw away to be on 10 points.

If DRC win both Sierra Leone games, they will reach 12 points with two games to spare. Even if Zimbabwe win both their games against Equatorial Guinea to reach 9 points, DRC would still only need one point from their final two games (away to Equatorial Guinea and home to Zimbabwe on 28 March) to qualify.

Their biggest advantage is they still have two games against the group’s weakest sides on paper – Equatorial Guinea lost 2-0 to DRC and Sierra Leone lost at home.

For Zimbabwe – Needs 6 points from Equatorial Guinea double-header:

Zimbabwe’s path is now more complicated after losing at home. The Warriors cannot afford any more slip-ups at home.

What Zimbabwe needs:

1. Win both November games vs Equatorial Guinea – That would take them to 9 points. Equatorial Guinea are beatable but dangerous – they have not had a CAF-approved stadium and will play their home game in Yaounde, Cameroon. Zimbabwe beat them 2-1 in Harare during the last AFCON qualifiers.
2. Beat Sierra Leone at home on 24 March 2027 – That would be 12 points.
3. Avoid defeat in Kinshasa on 28 March 2027 – The final game DR Congo vs Zimbabwe could become a straight shootout if Sierra Leone take points off DRC.

If Zimbabwe only get 4 points from the Equatorial Guinea games, they will go into March on 7 points and will need to beat Sierra Leone and get at least a draw in Kinshasa – a very tough ask given DRC have not lost at home in qualifiers since 2022.

Goal difference will also matter. Zimbabwe are currently 0 (4-4), while DRC are +3.

Chances To Qualify:

DR Congo: 85% chance. They have momentum, a settled squad with Mbemba, Wan-Bissaka, Tuanzebe, Wissa, and two winnable games next. Only a collapse – losing both Sierra Leone games – would bring them back into danger. They have been described by SuperSport as a well-drilled, combative unit.

Zimbabwe: 55% chance. Still in second place, but the home loss to their direct rival hurts. Zimbabwe have shown character coming from 0-2 down to win 3-2, but they have also shown defensive frailty conceding in the 7th minute to Conteh and 27th minute to Tarawallie in the first game, and early again to DRC.

Their qualification now depends on winning the games they are expected to win. The Warriors’ schedule is favorable – three of their remaining four games are at home (Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, plus they have already played DRC at home). If they can take 9 points from those three home games, they will qualify regardless of what happens in the final away game in Kinshasa.

Equatorial Guinea and Sierra Leone are both on 0 points and still have a chance, but they need to beat each other tonight to stay alive.