Ivory Coast meet DR Congo in crucial Olympic qualifying first leg

Ivory Coast will face the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday, 9 October, in the first leg of the second round of qualifying for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The match will be played at the TP Mazembe Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 13:30 GMT as both sides begin their battle for a place in the next stage of the women’s Olympic qualifying competition.

The Elephants will be looking to secure a positive result away from home to strengthen their position before the return leg. However, DR Congo will have the opportunity to use home advantage to put themselves in a strong position ahead of the second meeting.

The two-legged tie represents an important stage in the qualification campaign, with both teams seeking to keep their hopes of competing at the 2028 Olympic Games alive.

For Ivory Coast, Friday’s encounter provides an opportunity to take an important step towards qualification. A favourable result in the opening match would give the team a platform to build on when the sides meet again in the return fixture.

DR Congo, meanwhile, will aim to make the most of playing at the TP Mazembe Stadium as they seek an advantage over their Ivorian opponents.

With qualification still to be decided over two matches, neither side can afford to underestimate the importance of the opening leg. The result will shape the contest ahead of the return meeting, when the teams will have another opportunity to secure progress in the competition.

The fixture is part of the African qualifying campaign for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, with Ivory Coast and DR Congo both determined to continue their pursuit of a place at the tournament.

The first leg is scheduled for Friday, 9 October, at 13:30 GMT, with the return fixture set to determine which team advances to the next round of the qualifying process.

Both sides will be aware that a strong performance in the opening match could prove decisive in what remains a two-legged contest.

Ivory Coast will therefore seek to leave DR Congo with a result that keeps them in contention, while the hosts will look to take advantage of home conditions before travelling for the return match.