Yoane Wissa delivered a standout performance as the Democratic Republic of the Congo claimed a 2-1 victory over Zimbabwe in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Harare. The Newcastle United forward, 30, opened the scoring in the 30th minute after Zimbabwe goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze failed to hold a cross, allowing Wissa to poke the loose ball into the net.
Wissa added an assist just before halftime, threading a pass to Samuel Moutoussamy who finished to give DRC a 2-0 lead. Despite being outplayed in the opening half by the higher-ranked side, Zimbabwe pulled a goal back in the 93rd minute through Marshall Munetsi. The match marked Zimbabwe’s first home international since November 2021, following extensive renovations to their Harare venue.
The win moves DRC to the top of Group E with six points from two matches, following their earlier 2-0 home triumph over Equatorial Guinea. The Congolese side reached the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a historic milestone for the nation whose last AFCON title was won 52 years ago.
In other Group E action, Equatorial Guinea secured a narrow 1-0 win against Sierra Leone in Yaounde, Cameroon, thanks to a first-minute strike from Loren Zuniga. Both Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe sit on three points, while Sierra Leone remain without a point.
Meanwhile, in Group H, struggling Tunisia were held to a 2-2 draw by Botswana in Rades. Tunisia appeared to be on their way to their first competitive win of the year after Hazem Mastouri scored twice around halftime, but Southern Africa minnows Botswana, ranked 90 places below their opponents, fought back. Substitute Lebogang Ditsele equalized in the 60th minute with a delicate lob.
The result marks a second consecutive 2-2 draw for Botswana, having also shared points with Libya the previous week. Botswana remains top of Group H based on goals scored, ahead of Tunisia.
Elsewhere in the qualifiers, Central African Republic suffered a 1-0 defeat to Burkina Faso in Casablanca, Morocco. The CAR side, like Equatorial Guinea, is required to play home matches at neutral venues due to a lack of an international-standard stadium. Aboubacar Camara scored the winning goal for Burkina Faso in the second half.
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