Zimbabwe/Congo-Kinshasa: Warriors Return to National Sports Stadium for Afcon Qualifier Against DRC

What the report says

Zimbabwe’s senior men’s national football team, the Warriors, are set to host the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday evening in a Group E Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the National Sports Stadium in Harare. The match is scheduled for 18:00 and is notable because it brings national team football back to the venue after a long period of renovations and recent homologation, according to the report distributed by AllAfrica from New Zimbabwe.

The Warriors enter the game after a strong start to their qualifying campaign, having come from behind to beat Sierra Leone 3-2 in their opening match. Coach Ramon Catala said the team expects a difficult contest against Congo and stressed the need to focus on its own performance. The article does not add further details on lineup changes or injuries.

DR Congo arrive as one of the group’s leading sides and sit level on points with Zimbabwe after beating Equatorial Guinea 2-0. The two teams are both on three points, with Congo ahead on goal difference in the standings described in the article. Zimbabwe’s last meeting with DRC was at the 2021 AFCON finals, when the Warriors lost 4-0. The qualifier matters because early results in the group could shape the route to the continental tournament.