The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has secured a second victory in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification campaign, defeating Zimbabwe 2-1 on Monday, September 28, 2026. Forward Yoane Wissa was key to the win, scoring the opening goal and assisting Samuel Moutoussamy to help the Leopards maintain their perfect start to the group stage.
Democratic Republic of Congo maintains perfect record in Group E
The match, played in Harare, saw the visitors establish a lead in the 30th minute when Yoane Wissa capitalized on a mistake by Zimbabwe goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze, who failed to secure the ball. The Congolese side doubled their advantage just before halftime when Wissa set up Samuel Moutoussamy to score in stoppage time. While Zimbabwe managed to reduce the deficit late in the game through Marshall Munetsi in the 90+3rd minute, the Leopards held on to secure the three points.
This result places the Democratic Republic of Congo at the top of Group E with six points from two matches. The team previously opened their qualification campaign with a victory over Equatorial Guinea. Equatorial Guinea, meanwhile, remains in the hunt after defeating Sierra Leone 1-0 in their own fixture, thanks to a goal from Loren Zuniga in the opening minute of play.
Burkina Faso records first win against Central African Republic
In Group F, Burkina Faso rebounded from an opening-day draw against Benin to secure a 1-0 victory over the Central African Republic. The match was held in Casablanca, Morocco, due to the unavailability of a CAF-homologated stadium in the Central African Republic. The decisive moment came at the hour mark, with Red Bull Salzburg forward Aboubacar Camara scoring the only goal of the game.
The victory moves the Stallions to the top of Group F with four points. The Central African Republic remains at the bottom of the table without a point as the group prepares for upcoming rounds of play.
Tunisia held to draw by Botswana
Tunisia’s search for a win continues following a 2-2 draw against Botswana at Radès. The Eagles of Carthage briefly held a lead between the 50th and 60th minutes, but were unable to hold off their opponents. This result follows Tunisia’s earlier draws against Uganda and Libya, leaving the team and Botswana tied at the top of Group H as they await the outcome of the match between the other two nations in their group.
Qualification context and next steps
The 2027 AFCON qualification process continues to see teams deal with venue challenges, with several nations hosting "home" matches in neutral countries like Morocco due to stadium accreditation requirements. As the group stage progresses, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burkina Faso have established early momentum, while other groups, such as Group H, remain highly competitive with narrow margins separating the teams.
The next round of matches will provide further clarity on the standings as the qualifying schedule moves forward. Official updates on venue assignments and kick-off times for the upcoming international window will be released by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
