The Elephants of Ivory Coast have taken control of Group F in the African qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a narrow 1-0 win against Burundi on Friday night.
The African Champions faced off with Burundi today in a Round 5 meeting in the qualifiers for next year’s global tournament.
In a game played at a neutral venue, both teams set up strong in a bid to fight for all three points.
Ivory Coast stunned the hosts after just 16 minutes into the first half when Evann Guessand equalised for the Elephants. He was assisted by experienced striker Sebastien Haller.
That goal was enough to separate the two teams at the end of the first half.
Although Burundi will put up a good fight in the second half, the team could not find a way past the resolute defense of the Ivorians.
Eventually, with no goal in the second half, Ivory Coast held on to secure a narrow but important 1-0 win at the end of the contest.
The result is enough to give the Elephants top spot in Group F after five games in the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
