Ivory Coast players celebrated after scoring during the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying match against Ghana at the Stade de Bouake on September 24, 2026.
Malick Yalcouye, a striker from Brighton, had a fantastic start for Ivory Coast by scoring in a 2-0 win over Ghana in Bouake on Thursday.
The 20-year-old fired a shot from just outside the box in the 44th minute, beating goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi at his near post in this Group C match.
Captain Franck Kessie set up the first goal. He then scored again in the 58th minute by converting a penalty kick.
Ghana was already missing midfielder Mohammed Kudus. They faced more problems with the last-minute withdrawals of injured strikers Jordan Ayew and Antoine Semenyo.
This match featured two top West African coaches, Hervé Renard and Carlos Queiroz.
Renard came back after Emerse Fae’s contract was not renewed following a disappointing World Cup exit. In 2015, he led Ivory Coast to their second AFCON title, out of three total.
Queiroz, from Portugal, took over Ghana shortly before the 2026 World Cup. He has managed Real Madrid and was an assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United two times.
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