Warriors come from two goals down to beat Sierra Leone 3-2 in AFCON Qualifier

Marshall Munetsi inspired a Warriors fightback as Zimbabwe came from two goals down at half-time to beat Sierra Leone 3-2 and make a winning start to their Africa Cup of Nations 2027 Group E qualifying campaign.

The match was played at the Stade Ben Ahmed El Abdi in El Jadida, Morocco, as Sierra Leone does not have a CAF-approved stadium.

Zimbabwe made a wretched start. They fell behind as early as the seventh minute when Alie Conteh struck, and the Leone Stars continued to dictate proceedings, carving out chance after chance while the Warriors struggled to lay a glove on them.

The task became steeper still in the 27th minute when Sallieu Tarawallie doubled the lead from a corner, leaving Ramon Catala’s side facing a mountain to climb. The remainder of the first half could hardly have gone worse.

Catala, taking charge of Zimbabwe for the first time, responded with a decisive tactical switch at the break.

He introduced Belgium-based forward Bill Antonio for Sean Fusire, pushing Antonio onto the right wing and dropping Andy Rinomhota from midfield to right-back.

The change transformed the contest. Zimbabwe enjoyed far greater possession, played with renewed purpose, and began to ask serious questions of the West Africans.

Tawanda Maswanhise was first to threaten, dragging an effort inches wide in the 50th minute. Thando Ngwenya, quiet until then, followed with a header that missed the target, while Antonio’s direct running continued to trouble the Sierra Leone defence.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 72nd minute. Vice-captain Munetsi sparked the revival, meeting Tawanda Chirewa’s cross to head home and give Zimbabwe hope.

Four minutes later, the comeback was complete in sublime fashion. Chirewa unleashed a thunderbolt from outside the box that flew into the top-left corner to make it 2-2.

The Wolves midfielder thought he had sealed the turnaround in the 82nd minute, but his effort was ruled out for offside. It mattered little. The Warriors’ persistence was rewarded in the 88th minute when Munetsi struck again to complete a remarkable turnaround and secure all three points.

It was the perfect start for Catala and an enormous confidence boost ahead of Monday’s Group E clash against the Democratic Republic of Congo at the National Sports Stadium in Harare.

Zimbabwe now sit second in Group E on three points, behind DR Congo on goal difference after the Leopards beat Equatorial Guinea 2-0 in the other group fixture earlier on Thursday.

In Kinshasa, captain Chancel Mbemba headed the opener in the fourth minute before Yoane Wissa added a second 18 minutes from time.

It could have been more emphatic for the Congolese, who twice struck the woodwork and had two further efforts disallowed for offside.

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