Zimbabwe will play at home for the first time in five years when they host the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday in a top-of-the-table Africa Cup of Nations group qualifier. The match will be held at the renovated 60,000-seat National Sports Stadium on the outskirts of Harare, the capital city. This marks a significant milestone for the Warriors, who have been forced to host matches outside the country, often in South Africa, due to stadium renovations.
The return to their home ground comes at a perfect time for Zimbabwe, as they face DR Congo in an optimistic mood. Last week, they staged a dramatic comeback, overcoming a two-goal deficit to snatch a 3-2 away win over Sierra Leone. Marshall Munetsi, a 30-year-old midfielder with English second-tier club Wolverhampton Wanderers, triggered the recovery with a 72nd-minute goal. His teammate Tawanda Chirewa equalised four minutes later, and Munetsi struck again with two minutes of regular time remaining to secure maximum points.
The victory was a dream competitive debut for Ramon Catala, a 65-year-old Spaniard who has coached in the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Ukraine, and Libya. Zimbabwe's opponents, DR Congo, cruised to a 2-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea in Kinshasa under French coach Sebastien Desabre. Captain and centre-back Chancel Mbemba nodded the Congolese in front within four minutes, and Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa added a second goal after half-time.
DR Congo has been transformed under Desabre into a well-drilled, combative unit. He took them to the 2026 World Cup after a 52-year absence, and they led England for 68 minutes of a last-32 clash before a Harry Kane brace turned the tables. Meanwhile, Guinea-Bissau host three-time AFCON champions Nigeria on Tuesday in the only other matchday two fixture featuring two teams who won their first qualifiers.
Guinea-Bissau's victory over 2027 AFCON co-hosts Tanzania was a significant upset. After decades among the minnows, Guinea-Bissau underwent a dramatic turnaround, qualifying for four consecutive AFCON tournaments from 2017. However, they missed out on the most recent AFCON in Morocco and won just two of 10 qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Tanzania, under Argentine coach Miguel Gamondi, reached an AFCON knockout stage for the first time this year.
The 2027 AFCON qualifiers have seen several teams struggling to find a home ground. A civil war prevents Sudan from playing in Khartoum, and security concerns mean Somalia cannot host opponents in Mogadishu. Thirteen of the 48 teams competing in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers are 'homeless', including 2022 AFCON champions Senegal, who currently lack stadiums that meet international standards.
The match between Guinea-Bissau and Nigeria will be crucial, as only one of Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau, and Madagascar can join Tanzania at the finals. Lacking injured star striker Victor Osimhen, Nigeria had to come from behind to edge Madagascar 2-1 in Uyo with debutants George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor scoring. The importance of the match adds to the excitement of the upcoming fixtures.
Key points
- Zimbabwe ends five-year exile with DR Congo match
- 13 teams 'homeless' in 2027 AFCON qualifiers
- Guinea-Bissau hosts Nigeria in crucial qualifier
