AFCON Qualifiers — Ivory Coast defeats Ghana; DR Congo, Cameroon win

Captain Frank Kessie converted a 58th-minute penalty in Bouake but it was the 20-year-old Brighton & Hove Albion’s Malick Yalcouye ‌who stole the show in his first appearance, handing the home side the lead with a powerful left footed strike from outside the penalty ‌area one minute before halftime. | Photo Credit: AFP

Ivory Coast debutant Malick Yalcouye scored the ​first goal and won the penalty for the second as it beat ⁠neighbour Ghana 2-0 in a fiery start to Africa Cup of Nations qualifying on Thursday.

Captain Frank Kessie converted a 58th-minute penalty in Bouake but it was the 20-year-old Brighton & Hove Albion attacker ‌who stole the show in his first appearance, handing the home side the lead with a powerful left footed strike from outside the penalty ‌area one minute before halftime.

Both the Ivorians and Ghanaians had got to the ‌last-32 ⁠at the World Cup in mid-year and were playing their first game ⁠since their exploits at the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the US.

The Group C encounter was the first game back in charge for coach Herve Renard, who won the Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast ​in 2015, and whose new-look team ‌dominated proceedings against a Ghana side hit by injury and missing the likes of Mohamed Kudus and Antoine Semenyo.

The opening day of the group qualifiers for next year’s finals in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda also had wins for Cameroon, the ‌Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritania, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

However, Tunisia, who was the only ​one of 10 African teams not to advance past the first phase of the World Cup, let an early lead slip and was ⁠held 1-1 at home by Uganda as its disappointing form continued.

DR Congo won 2-0 at home in Kinshasa against Equatorial Guinea with Chancel Mbemba heading in early and Yoane ‌Wissa adding the second while also in Group E, Zimbabwe fought back from 2-0 down at halftime to beat Sierra Leone 3-2 with Marshall Munetsi (2) and Tawanda Chirewa scoring.

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Cameroon debutant David Nyengue opened the scoring and Bryan Mbeumo added the second in Garoua but it had to sweat it out for a 3-1 triumph after tiny Comoros pulled one back through Bundesliga-based Warmed Omari. Cameroon got a late insurance ‌goal from English-born Daniel Namasso.

Libya netted a last-gasp penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to ​Botswana behind closed doors in Tripoli, where there was a stadium ban because of previous supporter violence.

Botswana striker Tumisang Orebonye scored a double in ⁠the first half to put his side on course for a rare away win before ⁠Maruwan Alhibeeshi thrashed home from the edge of the area to pull one back in the 87th minute.

Botswana substitute Mothusi Cooper gave away a stoppage-time ‌penalty with a clumsy challenge, allowing Ezoo El Mariamy to rescue a draw.

Mauritania won 3-1 over the Central African Republic in Casablanca, Morocco, which included a superb ​chipped effort over the goalkeeper from Dawda Camara, while Betuel Muzeu scored the only goal as Namibia edged Congo.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Published on Sep 25, 2026

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