Côte d'Ivoire's national football team, led by coach Hervé Renard, secured a win against Ghana in their Afcon 2027 qualifier match. The game took place at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké, where Malick Yalcouyé scored on his international debut just before half-time. Yalcouyé, a 20-year-old midfielder for Brighton, contributed to Côte d'Ivoire's victory. Franck Kessié doubled the advantage from the penalty spot in the 58th minute, securing the win for Côte d'Ivoire.
This was Renard's return as head coach of Côte d'Ivoire, having previously led the team to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. In a post-match statement, Renard emphasized the importance of humility, stating that every team in the pool will give their best to qualify for next year's tournament. He also stressed that it's on the field where teams qualify, not on paper. Côte d'Ivoire will take on Somalia on 29 September for their second game in Group C, while Ghana will entertain Gambia.
The 2027 Cup of Nations is scheduled to take place between 19 June and 17 July in Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya. The top two teams from nine of the 12 qualifying groups will advance to next year's 24-team competition. Only one other side from the pools containing the three co-hosts will progress. In other qualifying matches, Democratic Republic of Congo beat Equatorial Guinea 2-0, taking early control of Group E, along with Zimbabwe, who won 3-2 against Sierra Leone.
In Group G, Cameroon won 3-1 at home to Comoros, and Namibia beat Congo 1-0. Meanwhile, in Group H, Tunisia's woes continue, as they drew 1-1 with Uganda. Adam Arous opened the scoring for Tunisia in the 12th minute, but Rogers Mato levelled midway through the second half. In the same pool, Libya and Botswana finished 2-2.
The Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers have begun, with the 2025 champions still undecided. In a separate international football event, Europe's Nations League kicked off, with Jurgen Klopp's Netherlands drawing against Germany. Felix Nmecha put Klopp's side ahead, but Ruben van Bommel set up Cody Gakpo for the Netherlands' equaliser in second-half stoppage time.
In the same League A Group 2, Greece beat Serbia 2-1 in Belgrade. Meanwhile, in League A Group 4, Erling Haaland scored twice as Norway overcame Denmark 3-2 in Oslo. Haaland's 64th international goal secured the victory for Norway. Portugal also won, beating Wales 1-0 in Lisbon, with Joao Felix hitting the only goal of the game in the first half.
The international football calendar is heating up, with various teams competing in different tournaments. Norway's skipper, Martin Odegaard, expressed his satisfaction with the win, stating that it feels great to beat their neighbours. The teams will continue to compete, with the goal of advancing to the next stage of their respective tournaments.
Key points
- Côte d'Ivoire beat Ghana in Afcon 2027 qualifier with a 2-0 win.
- Hervé Renard returned as coach of Côte d'Ivoire.
- The 2027 Cup of Nations will take place in Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya.
