Published Thursday, November 12, 4:19 p.m. ET (10:19 p.m. Lagos) · Source: Confederation of African Football (CAF) and match reports
The Leopards of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) had the lead before most of Kinshasa had found its seat. Yoane Wissa, a Newcastle United striker, scored in the fourth minute, and the hosts never let go.
DR Congo beat Sierra Leone 3-1 at the Stade des Martyrs, a stadium in the capital Kinshasa, on Thursday, November 12. The win is the third in three games in AFCON 2027 qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the continent’s main national-team tournament.
Key Facts
- Result. DR Congo beat Sierra Leone 3-1 in Kinshasa on Thursday, November 12, 2026.
- Scorers. Wissa (4th minute), Moutoussamy (35th) and Kayembe (58th); Bekoe (83rd) for Sierra Leone.
- What is at stake. Nine points from three games put DR Congo alone at the top of their qualifying group.
- Next. Sierra Leone v DR Congo, Tuesday, November 17, 11:00 a.m. ET (16:00 GMT), Casablanca.
- Prediction markets. Polymarket, a prediction market, prices DR Congo at about 4% to win AFCON 2027 (as of 4:19 p.m. ET, Nov 12).
This story is part of our coverage of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers. Dates, times and how to follow it are in our guide.
In plain English
AFCON is Africa’s version of the European Championship. Teams play in groups of four, and the top two in each group earn a place at the finals.
An Early Goal Sets the Tone
Wissa opened the scoring in the fourth minute, finishing a cross from his teammate Nathanaël Mbuku. DR Congo, nicknamed the Leopards, kept pressing high up the pitch.
Samuel Moutoussamy doubled the lead in the 35th minute. After halftime, Edo Kayembe made it 3-0 in the 58th, set up by Arthur Masuaku.
Sierra Leone, the Leone Stars, pulled one back in the 83rd minute through a player listed as S. Bekoe. The goal did not threaten the result.
Three Wins Put DR Congo Clear
DR Congo lead Group E alone with nine points. Sierra Leone sit last of the four teams.
DR Congo opened with a 2-0 home win over Equatorial Guinea on September 24 and won 2-1 away at Zimbabwe on September 28. The team, coached by Sébastien Desabre, last won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1974, when the country was called Zaire.
The finals will be held in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027. CAF, the Confederation of African Football, says the top two teams in each four-team group qualify.
DR Congo therefore need to finish first or second in Group E.
The Rematch Comes Quickly
The two teams meet again on Tuesday, November 17, at 11:00 a.m. ET (16:00 GMT). CAF lists the game at the Stade Larbi Zaouli, a stadium in Casablanca, Morocco, on neutral ground.
Another DR Congo win would leave them with 12 points after four games. Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea, who drew 0-0 on November 12 and have four points each, meet again on Monday, November 16, at 8:00 a.m. ET (13:00 GMT).
The final two rounds of qualifying run from March 22 to 30, 2027.
What Prediction Markets Say
On Polymarket, a crypto-based prediction market, traders price DR Congo at about 4% to win AFCON 2027, as of 4:19 p.m. ET on November 12. Morocco (about 33%) and Senegal (about 29%) lead that market, which has traded about US$22,000 in total.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What It Means for US Readers
Wissa plays his club football in England’s top league, so American fans can watch him weekly for Newcastle United. His goals have DR Congo on course for the finals.
The June 2027 finals in East Africa will be the next big Africa football tournament, a year after the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
What Is Not Known
The match reports we reviewed gave no attendance and no quotes from Desabre. Reports differ by a minute or so on some goal times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the score between DR Congo and Sierra Leone?
DR Congo won 3-1 in Kinshasa on November 12. Wissa, Moutoussamy and Kayembe scored for DR Congo, and S. Bekoe scored for Sierra Leone.
When do DR Congo play Sierra Leone again?
The teams meet on Tuesday, November 17, at 11:00 a.m. ET (16:00 GMT). The match is at the Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca, Morocco.
Sources: Confederation of African Football (CAF), qualifiers matchdays 3 and 4; Rio Times reporting.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error