Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa during a Premier League match against Hull City at St James’ Park.
Bethuel Muzeu scored the winner against Congo Brazzaville as the 78-year-old coach began his second spell, while DR Congo beat Equatorial Guinea.
Claude Le Roy’s second spell in charge of Congo Brazzaville began with defeat on Thursday as Namibia secured a 1-0 victory in their opening Group G qualifier for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
The 78-year-old French coach returned to national-team management five years after leaving Togo, but Bethuel Muzeu’s second-half header denied him a winning start on his comeback.
The qualifying campaign leads to the continental finals that Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will jointly host in 2027. Group winners and runners-up will secure places at the tournament.
Muzeu gives Namibia the winning edge
Namibia hosted the match in Gaborone, Botswana, because they do not have a stadium that meets international standards.
The decisive moment came in the 47th minute when South Africa-based forward Muzeu rose between two defenders to meet Riaan Hanamub’s cross. His header travelled across goalkeeper Perrauld Ndinga and into the net.
The result gave Namibia an opening victory while leaving Congo Brazzaville without a point from their first fixture. Cameroon and the Comoros, the other teams in Group G, were scheduled to meet later on Thursday in Garoua.
Le Roy returns with a long AFCON record
Le Roy’s return extends a national-team coaching career spanning 41 years. He has appeared at nine AFCON tournaments, managing Cameroon, Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Congo Brazzaville and Togo.
His greatest success came with Cameroon in Morocco in 1988, when he guided the Indomitable Lions to the title. Two years earlier, his Cameroon side had finished runners-up after losing the final to hosts Egypt.
He also led hosts Ghana to third place in 2008, behind champions Egypt and runners-up Cameroon.
During his first spell with Congo Brazzaville, Le Roy took the team to the 2015 quarter-finals. Their campaign ended with a 4-2 defeat by DR Congo after they surrendered a two-goal advantage.
Before facing Namibia, Le Roy alleged that some agents were demanding payments before allowing players to join national squads. Speaking to reporters, he said the sums sought for certain players could reach 40,000 euros, or $45,500. He did not identify the agents involved.
DR Congo win as Libya rescue a draw
In Group E, top seeds DR Congo defeated Equatorial Guinea 2-0 in Kinshasa. Captain Chancel Mbemba opened the scoring with a fourth-minute header from a free-kick, before Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa added the second after the interval.
DR Congo were the first of Africa’s 10 participants at the 2026 World Cup to begin their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign.
Elsewhere, Libya earned a 2-2 draw against Botswana in Group H in Tripoli. Ezoo El Mariamy converted a penalty in the sixth minute of added time to secure the point.
Mauritania beat the Central African Republic 3-1 in Casablanca in Group F. The Central African Republic finished with 10 players after defender Julien Kouadio received a second yellow card midway through the second half.
