Ramon Catalá warns DRC as Zimbabwe prepare for AFCON qualifier

Zimbabwe coach Ramon Catalá has warned the Democratic Republic of Congo that his side will not be intimidated by the quality or reputation of the Leopards’ international players when the two teams meet in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Both teams have three points from their opening matches and meet at the National Sports Stadium in Harare on the second matchday of the qualifying campaign.

Zimbabwe produced a dramatic comeback against Sierra Leone in their first match, recovering from 2-0 down to win 3-2.

Marshall Munetsi scored twice as the Warriors completed the turnaround.

DR Congo also began their campaign with a victory, beating Equatorial Guinea 2-0.

The results leave the two sides level on points before their meeting, setting up an early contest between teams that have both made winning starts.

Catalá respects DRC quality

Catalá has acknowledged the strength of the Congolese squad but does not want the reputation of their players to affect Zimbabwe’s approach.

Before the qualifiers began, the Spanish coach described DR Congo as a “big team” and said his staff had analysed their opponents through several videos.

He again recognised the individual quality within the Leopards squad on Sunday, particularly the players competing in major European leagues.

However, Catalá believes those credentials will have little significance once the match begins.

The Zimbabwe coach wants his players to avoid developing an inferiority complex because of the experience and club backgrounds of the Congolese internationals.

Instead, he expects his team to respond on the pitch against a DR Congo side that has also started the qualifiers strongly.

Warriors Pre-Match Press Conference

Ahead of tomorrow’s match against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at the National Sports Stadium, Warriors coach Ramon Catala spoke about the support from the fans.

“The presence of our fans will not put pressure on us; instead, it… pic.twitter.com/Ml0iuIOdv3

— 263Chat.com 🇿🇼 (@263Chat) September 27, 2026

Warriors want home support

Catalá is also looking to the supporters at the National Sports Stadium to provide Zimbabwe with an advantage.

The coach and captain Marvelous Nakamba have called on fans to attend in large numbers and get behind the Warriors.

Catalá believes the atmosphere inside the stadium could play an important role in the match.

“The emotional aspect is very important. I think the fans will help us a lot and we believe we will have our opportunities,” said the coach.

The Spanish coach also wants supporters, players, the Zimbabwe Football Federation and the media to work together towards the same objective.

For Catalá, that common purpose is helping Zimbabwe reach the final tournament of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Sierra Leone comeback provides blueprint

The coach wants his players to draw confidence from their response against Sierra Leone.

Zimbabwe appeared to be heading towards defeat after conceding twice, but they refused to surrender and eventually turned the match around.

Catalá believes the determination shown in that game must be carried into the meeting with DR Congo.

“What we took away from this match is the spirit of the team and the players, this will not to give up and to continue until the end,” he explained.

Another test of Zimbabwe’s character

That fighting spirit will now face another test against the Leopards.

Both Zimbabwe and DR Congo have three points from their opening fixtures, meaning the winner in Harare could gain an important advantage at this early stage of the qualifying campaign.

Catalá has made qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations the clear target for his team.

He believes collective unity can help Zimbabwe achieve that objective.

“With unity between everyone – the fans, the players, the Federation and the media – we can achieve results and ultimately qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations, which is our main objective,” he said.

The match will be Zimbabwe’s first home fixture of the campaign under Catalá.

The Warriors will therefore hope their supporters can create the atmosphere the coach has called for as they attempt to maintain their winning start against a DR Congo side that also claimed three points in its opening qualifier.