Cote d’Ivoire lose Emmanuel Abgadou for Gambia qualifier

Cote d’Ivoire will be without defender Emmanuel Abgadou for Tuesday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against The Gambia, after the Federation ivoirienne de football confirmed his withdrawal two days before the match.

Abgadou has suffered injuries to both his thigh and knee and has returned to Besiktas, where he will continue his treatment.

The 20-year-old did not come off the bench in Cote d’Ivoire’s 2-1 victory over The Gambia in Bouake on Thursday, in the third round of qualifying.

His absence was announced on Sunday, one day after the federation unexpectedly called up Jean Ives Valou from the under-23 squad. The Getafe player, who can operate in several defensive positions, has been brought into the team ahead of the return fixture.

The match will take place in Bakau on Tuesday and forms part of the fourth round of qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Cote d’Ivoire have made a perfect start to their qualifying campaign, winning all three of their matches. They opened with a 2-0 victory against Ghana before beating Somalia 2-0 at the end of September.

The Elephants then defeated The Gambia in Bouake and currently lead the group. The Scorpions are second, and another victory for Cote d’Ivoire would give them a six-point advantage over their opponents.