Ivory Coast secured their second victory in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualifiers with a 2-0 triumph over Gambia on Monday at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium.
The first half saw limited action, with Ivory Coast dominating possession but facing challenges in penetrating the Gambian defense. The breakthrough occurred just before half-time when Christian Kouame scored from close range, giving Ivory Coast a 1-0 lead at halftime.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Ivory Coast controlling the game but initially finding it challenging to widen their lead. In the final stages of the game, the Elephants finally secured a second goal through Seko Fofana, who finished a well-timed pass from Franck Kessie in the 86th minute.
With this 2-0 victory, Ivory Coast has now secured consecutive wins in World Cup qualifying Group F. Meanwhile, Gambia remains at the bottom of the group without a point from their first two matches, matching Seychelles’ record.
While pleased with the three points, Ivory Coast is aware that there is still work to be done to ensure qualification for the 2026 tournament in North America. Their upcoming challenge will be against Guinea Bissau as AFCON qualifiers kick off in 2024.
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