Ivory Coast starts its Africa Cup of Nations title defense with victory!

Ivory Coast starts its Africa Cup of Nations title defense with victory!

Ivory Coast successfully began its title defense at the Africa Cup of Nations on December 24, 2025. In Marrakech the team beat Mozambique 1-0. The decisive goal came in the 49th minute when Amad Diallo put the ball into the net. Despite the narrow lead, Ivory Coast played dominantly, but wasted several good chances, including from Wilfried Zaha, Franck Kessie and Vakoun Bayo. This successful opening game represents an important victory as Ivory Coast won their third continental title last year and are now considered one of the favorites to win the title in Morocco. Coach Emerse Faé is committed to continuing the defense of the title and keeping the team on the road to success. [vienna.at]

The game, which took place at the Stade de Marrakech, was the first appearance for Ivory Coast in the current edition of the tournament. In the second game of Group F, Cameroon also secured a 1-0 win against Gabon, with Karl Etta Eyong scoring the goal in the 6th minute. These results show the strength of the two teams that are considered Ivory Coast's direct rivals in the group stage. Rapid's Martin Ndzie was on the bench for Cameroon, while TSG Hoffenheim's Bazoumana Touré was on the substitutes' bench for Ivory Coast. [tagesspiegel.de]

The Africa Cup in context

The Africa Cup of Nations, officially known as the Africa Cup of Nations, is organized every two years by the CAF and is considered the most important football tournament for African national teams. This year there are several teams in the competition, the format has changed since 2019 with the participation of 24 teams and a modified knockout system. Ivory Coast, as current title holders, has a long and successful history in the tournament and will be aiming to continue their dominance. [wikipedia.org]

Ivory Coast will face Gabon in their next group game, while Cameroon will face Mozambique. The outcome of these games could have a major impact on Ivory Coast's position, especially given the upcoming World Cup, where the team will face Germany in Toronto on June 20, 2026. The World Cup group also includes Ecuador and Curaçao, which increases the challenges for Ivory Coast in the near future.