Ivory Coast claimed an important 2-1 win over The Gambia on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké, in their Matchday 3 encounter of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
Thanks to this win, the Elephants have taken sole possession of first place in Group C with nine points in three matches, while the Scorpions remain on six points.
Emerse Fae’s men made their mark right from the first half. Malick Yalcouye opened the scoring in the 18th minute, before
Elye Wahi extended the Ivorians’ lead in the 26th minute.
Gambia, however, responded before halftime thanks to Musa Barrow, who pulled one back in the 38th minute.
After the break, the Elephants held onto their lead until the final whistle. With three wins in as many matches, Ivory Coast has had a flawless campaign and now holds a three- point lead over its closest rival.
The two teams will meet again on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. GMT in Bakau, The Gambia, for the second leg.
The Scorpions will try to bounce back in front of their home crowd, while the Ivorians will have the opportunity to consolidate their lead at the top of Group C.
