Follow our live coverage of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers Group C opener between Rwanda vs Zimbabwe.
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Rwanda 0-0 Zimbabwe
-Fulltime.
90+4′ Free kick Rwanda just outside the box, cleared.
90+3′ Yellow card to Mbeba (Zim)
90+1′ Free kick to Zim, Lunga takes into the box and Takwara fails to connect it as it goes out.
90+1′ Yellow card to Manzi (Rwanda).
90′ Four minutes added.
89′ Rwanda with arguably the best chance of the game. A counter is launched with Niyomugabo open at goal but sends his effort over from a close range.
87′ Corner kick to Zim, Lunga swings it in but there’s an infringement on the keeper. Referee blows for a free kick to Rwanda.
84′ Warriors get a free-kick just outside the box. Mbeba takes and his effort is high and. wide.
81′ Rwanda Sub: Niyomugabo replaces Imanishimwe.
80′ Zim on counter attack and Lunga tries a cross but Rwanda clear the danger.
80′ Free kick to Rwanda just outside the box, it comes out with nothing.
77′ Rwanda Sub: Muhire, Sibomana replace Nshuti, Sahobo
76′ Big chanche for Rwanda but Mugisha fails to direct his tap in and it goes wide.
75′ The corner kick comes in but Rwanda clear their lines.
75′ Zim Sub: Kadewere comes in for Dube.
74′ Warriors quickly launch an attack and Dube is at the end of it. He strikes a shot on target which is saved by the keeper to concede a corner kick.
73′ Donovan with a great save to deny Nshuti from a close range.
70′ Warriors score but the goal won’t stand. Chirinda with a great through ball and Munetsi takes a shot to hit the back of the net but the referee blows for an offside.
69′ Chirinda with some early involvement but his run results in a goalkick for Rwanda.
68′ Zim Sub: Chirinda comes in for Musona.
65′ Warriors now dominating the pace but have been failing in the final third.
64′ Lunga takes the corner kick amd it’s a good one. Dube connects it but his header goes over.
63′ Dube plays Dzvukamanja, who takes a first time shot which is blocked for a corner kick.
61′ Big Chance!!! Lunga sends in the corner kick and a totally unmarked Takwara connects it but sends his header wide with the keeper already beaten.
60′ Munetsi with a great run, and tries a cross to Dub but Rwanda intercept to concede a corner kick.
58′ Another corner kick to Zim, Musona sends it high and gets not tarkers inside inside the box.
56′ Munetsi wins a free-kick on the edge of the box. Lunga takes it poorly but still get a corner kick,which is cleared.
54′ Zim slowly coming out of their shell as they start to ease the pressure at the back.
52′ Warriors get their first corner kick of the game. Mbeba swings it in and Dube connects with a decent header which goes straight into the hands of the keeper.
50′ Donovan Bernard with a great save to deny Rwanda the opening goal. Sahabo makes a great run before threading a through pass to Nshuti, who hits from inside the box. The keeper does well to get down and pary away the danger.
48′ Rwanda dominating the early pace forcing Zimbabwe into their half.
46′ Rwanda Sub: Gitego, Niyonzima replace Byiringiro, Mugisha.
Halftime Report: Rwanda got the better chances of the game and threatened morewith some decent attacks. However, the hosts failed to force meaningful saves from Donovan Bernard.
On the other end, substitute Terrence Dzvukamanja, who came on for injured Admiral Muskwe, had two great opportunities in form of a through play but failed to utilise.
Muskwe also had a chance before coming off but lost his balance and muscled off before hitting a shot inside the box.
-Halftime.
45′ One minute added.
45′ The corner kick comes in and Mugisha connects it but his header goes wide.
44′ Byiringiro sends a dangerous high through ball direct at goal. Takwara comes out first to head away the danger and concede a corner kick.
40′ Prince Dube wins a free-kick just outside the box. Lunga is behind it and sends in a cross but Rwanda clear the danger.
38′ Corner kick to Rwanda, Zim clear the danger.
36′ Rwanda on attack and Imanishimwe’s cross finds no takers as it goes out.
35′ Free kick Zimbabwe just outside the box. Musona takes it and goes for goal but his effort flies over.
32′ Rwanda on attack with Mugisha at the end of it. The forward neats two markers inside the box before unleashing a shot which is blocked by Hadebe. The defender is injured amd goes out to receive medical. Rwanda’s corner kick results in an offside.
30′ Dzvukamanja is through again and makes a brilliant first time. He takes long to release a shot and when he finally hits it, Bizimana throws himself onto the ball’s path and makes a crucial block.
29′ Lunga with a brilliant through pass amd Dzvukamanja is through into the box but he fails to reach for the ball. Keeper takes itm
24′ Rwanda with a threatening attack before making a dangerous cutback cross which is cleared by a well positioned Takwara.
23′ Zim Sub: Dzvukamanja replaces injured Muskwe.
20′ Bizimana tries from a range but his effort goes wide, no problem for Bernard. The strike is the first attempt at goal in the game.
18′ Free kick to Zim in Rwanda half after foul on Lunga. Musona sends it into the box but Rwanda clear their lines. The hosts quickly initiate a counter and Mbeba is there to make a crucial block to concede a corner kick which finds no takers.
15′ Muskwe is down injured. Brito starts warming his subs. The striker returns to the pitch after receiving medical attention on the sidelines.
14′ Rwanda is back again and Takwara makes another interception.
13′ Rwanda on attack and a cross in sent into the box. Takwara is there to clear the danger.
10′ Teenage Hadebe is nearly dispossessed in a dangerous position but he recovers to win a throw-in some nine yards away from the corner flag.
8′ Play temporarily stopped to allow medical attention to Rwanda’s Byiringiro.
7′ Zimbabwe with a patient build w and Munetsi threads a dangerous through ball to Muskwe, who is muscled off the ball inside the box. Rwanda’s Ntwali picks the ball to recover.
5′ A cagey affair so far with the play concentrated in the middle of the park.
1′ Warriors trie to open through on first attack but Munetsi is flagged offside.
1′ Kick-off!!
*Warriors in an all green kit with yellow socks, while Rwanda is in Yellow and blue kit.
Rwanda XI: Ntwali (GK), Omborenga, Imanishimwe, Mutsinzi, Manzi, Mugisha, Sahabo, Bizimana (C), Byiringiro, Nshuti, Mugisha.
Zim XI: Benard (GK), Mbeba, Hadebe, Takwara, Lunga, Banda, Nakamba (C), Munetsi, Muskwe, Musona, Dube.