Ivory Coast overpowers Algeria in U17 friendly ahead of World Cup

Ivory Coast claimed a convincing 2-0 victory over Algeria in the first leg of their U17 friendly doubleheader on Wednesday, continuing their strong form ahead of next month’s FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar.

The match, played at the Bingerville Sports Complex in Abidjan, saw the young Elephants take control early and maintain their momentum throughout against an Algerian side struggling to find rhythm.

The two teams will meet again on Sunday at the same venue for the return leg.

Ivory Coast opened the scoring in the 16th minute after pressing high and forcing an error near the Algerian penalty area.

The early breakthrough gave Bassiriky Diabaté’s team the confidence to dictate play, with their pressing and sharp transitions keeping the visitors under constant pressure.

The second goal arrived just before the hour mark, the result of a sweeping attacking move.

Alynho Haïdara — top scorer at the last U17 Africa Cup of Nations — found Broulaye Cissé with a precise pass through the middle.

Cissé, composed and clinical, curled a superb shot into the bottom corner past Marseille’s young goalkeeper Ivan Scander Guemdani to double Ivory Coast’s lead in the 59th minute.

That strike effectively sealed the result, with the hosts showing discipline and composure to close out the match.

Algeria tried to rally in the final stages but failed to create clear chances, often undone by the well-organized Ivorian back line.

The result extends a positive run for Diabaté’s side, who recently secured qualification for the upcoming U17 AFCON after defeating Burkina Faso 2-1, before clinching the regional title by overcoming Ghana on penalties (0-0, 4-3).

The consistency and maturity shown by this group underline Ivory Coast’s growing reputation as one of Africa’s most promising youth sides.

Le jeu des équipes de Bassiriky Diabaté est tellement plaisant à regarder. 🤩

La Côte d’Ivoire 🇨🇮 U17 mène actuellement 2-0 face à l’Algérie 🇩🇿 U17 ! pic.twitter.com/SIkOfTlcz0

— Séléphanto Football 🇨🇮 (@Selephanto) October 8, 2025

Wednesday’s win also serves as an encouraging sign ahead of their World Cup campaign, where Ivory Coast will look to translate their regional success onto the global stage.

For Algeria, the defeat highlights the need for improvement before the second friendly, particularly in transitioning from defense to attack.

As the countdown to Qatar continues, the young Elephants appear well-prepared and confident, combining technical skill with tactical intelligence — qualities that could make them one of the teams to watch at the tournament.