Cote d’Ivoire beat Somalia to make perfect start in CAN 2027 qualifiers

Cote d’Ivoire continued their winning start to the CAN 2027 qualifying campaign with a 2-0 victory over Somalia at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium on Tuesday.

The Elephants followed up their opening win against Ghana to claim six points from their first two matches. They have also yet to concede a goal, although their latest performance was below the level expected of them for long periods.

Herve Renard’s side dominated possession against a deeply organised Somalia team but struggled to create clear openings or build enough tempo to break through. The breakthrough did not arrive until the closing stages, when the introduction of Yann Gboho and Bazoumana Toure added greater pace and purpose to the attack.

Young players provide the decisive impact

Gboho made an immediate contribution after coming on, finding himself in the right position at the right time to put Cote d’Ivoire ahead. The forward, formerly of Toulouse and now playing for Coventry in England, scored his first goal for the national team.

A few minutes later, Bazoumana Toure added a second to secure the result and remove any remaining doubt about the outcome.

For Arthur Boka, the performance of the two substitutes offers an encouraging sign during the new cycle being developed under Renard. The ability of younger players to make an impact from the bench gives the manager additional options as he continues to shape the team.

Substitutes change the pace

The match also underlined the importance of the solutions available to Cote d’Ivoire beyond the starting XI.

While the initial line-up found it difficult to unsettle Somalia’s defensive block, the changes gave the Elephants more speed in their attacking moves. The increased intensity eventually created the openings required to turn territorial control into goals.

However, Boka remained far less convinced by the overall content of the performance than by the final score. Cote d’Ivoire controlled the ball but lacked movement and acceleration for much of the game, allowing Somalia to remain competitive deep into the second half.

More clinical finishing still required

The home side could have settled the contest considerably earlier. Inaccurate finishing and some poor choices in the final third meant Somalia stayed within touching distance until the closing stages.

That lack of efficiency remains an area for improvement, despite the positive outcome. The Elephants created enough control to win, but not enough consistent danger to suggest they had fully solved the problems posed by a compact defence.

Boka’s assessment is therefore balanced: the result should not be overstated, but neither should the slow start overshadow the significance of two victories, six points and two clean sheets.

Cote d’Ivoire’s next fixture is a friendly against Cameroon on 3 October. The match will provide a stronger test of the progress made by Renard’s team, which has begun the campaign successfully but still needs greater control and cohesion in possession.