Zimbabwe vs. DR Congo prediction: the teams will look to continue their winning runs
The second round of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers brings an intriguing Group E clash: on September 28, Zimbabwe will host DR Congo. Both national teams opened their campaigns with victories, so sole possession of top spot in the group will be at stake. After the opening round, both sides have three points, while Equatorial Guinea and Sierra Leone are still without a point.
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Zimbabwe produced a remarkable comeback in the opening round. The team trailed Sierra Leone 2-0 after goals from Alie Conteh and Sullay Tarawalie, but turned the game around in the closing stages. Marshall Munetsi launched the comeback in the 72nd minute, Tawanda Chirewa equalized four minutes later, and Munetsi completed the turnaround in the 88th minute to seal a 3-2 victory for his national team. Both players emerged as the heroes of the match.
DR Congo avoided such drama. In Kinshasa, the Leopards handled Equatorial Guinea with relative confidence, winning 2-0. Chancel Mbemba opened the scoring as early as the fourth minute after a cross from Nathanael Mbuku, before Yoane Wissa doubled the advantage in the second half. DR Congo also hit the crossbar twice and controlled the game for large stretches.
The teams will now meet in Harare. The match will be played at the National Sports Stadium and will kick off at 18:00 local time. This is an especially important game for Zimbabwe: the national team will return to the stadium for the first time in five years, while the last meeting with DR Congo there, in 2018, ended in a 1-1 draw.
In terms of personnel, the Congolese side’s biggest strengths are experience and individual quality. Sébastien Desabre’s squad includes Yoane Wissa, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Chancel Mbemba, Arthur Masuaku and other players with significant experience at the highest level. Wissa immediately underlined his importance in the opening round by scoring his team’s second goal.
Overall, this promises to be a clash between two first-round winners. Zimbabwe gained an emotional boost from its incredible comeback, while DR Congo showcased calmer and more controlled football. At the same time, the head-to-head battle should be far tighter than the teams’ names and status might suggest: the home atmosphere in Harare could provide a major lift for the Warriors.
My prediction: both teams to score — yes.
