The Elephants of Ivory Coast edged past Gambia with a 1-0 victory at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium on Monday evening, securing their place at the top of Group F in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
With this crucial win, Ivory Coast strengthened their bid for automatic qualification to the prestigious tournament, which will be hosted in North America next year.
Ivory Coast’s Fast Start Pays Off
The Elephants wasted no time in asserting their dominance. Right from the opening whistle, they pushed forward aggressively, creating early pressure on Gambia’s defense. Their persistence paid off in the 15th minute when Simon Adingra delivered a pinpoint cross into the box, and Sebastien Haller rose highest to head home confidently, giving the hosts a well-deserved early lead.
Elephants continued to dictate the tempo, enjoying the lion’s share of possession while keeping Gambia pinned in their own half.
Scorpions Struggle to Respond
Despite Ivory Coast’s control, the Scorpions of Gambia managed to weather the storm. As the game progressed, the visitors gradually gained confidence and saw more of the ball, but they struggled to create clear-cut opportunities.
Just before halftime, Nicolas Pépé had a chance to double Ivory Coast’s lead from a free-kick, but Gambia’s defense held firm to keep the score at 1-0 going into the break.
Gambia Shows Fight in Second Half
The second half saw Gambia come out with renewed energy, trying to claw their way back into the contest. They began enjoying more possession, pressing higher up the pitch in search of an equalizer.
However, Ivory Coast remained in control, and in the 70th minute, Haller came close to scoring his second goal of the match. The Borussia Dortmund forward latched onto a brilliant through ball from Jean-Philippe Krasso, but his shot went just over the crossbar.
Moments later, Yankuba Minteh nearly punished The Elephant’s for a midfield turnover, but his effort was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Yahia Fofana. That was as close as Gambia came to finding an equalizer.
Ivory Coast Hold Firm to Secure All Three Points
As the clock ticked down, both teams made tactical substitutions, but neither side could find another goal. Despite Gambia’s late surge,The Elephants defense remained resolute, ensuring they held on to their narrow 1-0 advantage until the final whistle.
The win propels the Elephants to first place in Group F, maintaining their strong momentum as they push towards securing a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Final Score:
Ivory Coast (1) 1 (Haller 15’) Gambia (0) 0
Ivory Coast Starting XI:
Y. Fofana, W. Singo, J. Gbamin, O. Diomande, H. Kamara (C. Akpa 56’), I. Sangare (E. Agbadou 81’), F. Kessie, N. Pépé (E. Guessand 46’), M. Diomande (J. Krasso 68’), S. Adingra (O. Diakite 68’), S. Haller
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Gambia Starting XI:
E. Jarju, A. Fadera (A. Sanyang 69’), O. Colley, S. Sinyan, M. Njie (A. Jatta 78’), J. Ceesay, M. Barrow, E. Adams (A. Manneh 85’), M. Bajo (A. Barry 78’), Y. Minteh, A. Ceesay (O. Gaye 46’)
With momentum on their side, the Elephants will be looking to build on this victory as they continue their quest for World Cup qualification.
