DR Congo is off to a strong start in Group E, securing a vital 2-1 win over Zimbabwe, while Sierra Leone struggles with back-to-back defeats.

After losing their opening match to Zimbabwe, Coach Da Rosa’s side fell 1-0 to Equatorial Guinea at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaoundé on Monday in Cameroon. Just under a minute into the match, Loren Zúñiga struck a right-footed shot from a tough angle on the left side, finding the bottom-left corner of the net.

The Leone Stars now face a pivotal challenge to turn their fortunes around and keep their hopes of advancement alive.

At the National Sports Stadium in Zimbabwe, DR Congo’s Leopards netted two goals, with Yoane Wissa and Samuel Moutoussamy scoring in the 30th and 45th minutes, respectively, going into halftime with a comfortable two-goal lead.

In the second half, the home team fought hard for a comeback, but their only goal came too late, with Wolves attacker Marshall Munetsi finding the net in the 90+3 minute, leaving no time for them to push for an equaliser.

Currently, DR Congo is firmly at the top of the group, having secured six points from their two opening victories. Meanwhile, both Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea trail behind with three points each as they gear up for their matches in November. Sierra Leone finds itself at the bottom of Group E, still searching for its first points.