HARARE – Teenage Hadebe scored an own-goal as Zimbabwe were denied victory at the National Sports Stadium on Tuesday night.
Khama Billiat got Zimbabwe off to a flyer as he scrambled the ball across the line after just two minutes.
Knox Mutizwa thought he had scored Zimbabwe’s second after connecting a cross from the left from Billiat in the 22nd minute, but Billiat was adjudged to have been in an offside position.
All Zimbabwe’s good work came undone two minutes later when a delivery into the box missed a DRC head and landed awkwardly in front of a flatfooted Hadebe.
The defender, leaning backwards to get some purchase to his clearance, instead sliced the ball into his own net and past a despairing George Chigova.
Chigova was shortly withdrawn after complaining of knee trouble, and Edmore Sibanda took his position.
Zimbabwe, playing without their captain Knowledge Musona who was carrying a red card from the first leg in Kinshasa last weekend, appeared content with the draw which leaves them top of Group G with eight points, three clear of the DRC in second.
In Monrovia, Liberia beat Congo Brazzaville 2-1 to keep their hopes of qualification alive.
Zimbabwe need a win and a draw from their remaining two fixtures – a trip to Liberia in November and at home to Congo Brazzaville next March to top Group G.-ZimLive
