Ivory Coast U17 regain confidence with victory over Tanzania ahead of AFCON

Ivory Coast’s U17 national team ended its preparations for the 2026 U17 Africa Cup of Nations on a positive note after defeating Tanzania 2-0 in an international friendly in Casablanca on Friday.

The Young Elephants produced a composed display to secure victory in their final warm-up match before the start of the continental tournament in Morocco, offering a timely response after their recent heavy defeat to Ghana.

The result is expected to boost confidence within the Ivorian camp as the team prepares to begin its AFCON campaign next week.

Important response after Ghana setback

The friendly against Tanzania arrived at a crucial moment for Ivory Coast following a difficult run in their recent preparations.

The Young Elephants had earlier suffered a 4-0 defeat against Ghana, a result that raised concerns ahead of the tournament and placed additional pressure on the squad to react positively in their final test match.

Against Tanzania, however, the Ivorians showed greater organisation and composure, managing to secure a convincing 2-0 victory in Casablanca.

The performance allowed the team to finish its preparation camp with renewed belief before travelling to Rabat for the competition.

For the coaching staff, the match also offered reassurance that the players had responded well after the setback against Ghana and were capable of regaining momentum before the tournament begins.

Final preparations completed in Casablanca

Friday’s victory marked the conclusion of Ivory Coast’s preparation programme before the start of the U17 Africa Cup of Nations.

The match against Tanzania served as the team’s final opportunity to fine-tune tactical organisation and strengthen cohesion before entering competitive action in Morocco.

The Young Elephants had approached the encounter knowing the importance of ending the training camp positively, especially after the mixed results recorded during earlier friendlies.

By keeping a clean sheet and scoring twice, the side managed to deliver the kind of balanced performance that coaches often seek before a major tournament.

The result also highlighted the team’s ability to recover mentally from disappointment, an important factor ahead of a demanding continental competition.

Confidence growing before AFCON opener

The victory over Tanzania has helped restore confidence within the squad at a key moment in the build-up to the tournament.

Preparations for youth competitions often focus not only on physical readiness but also on creating belief within the group, and Friday’s result appears to have strengthened morale among the players.

Ivory Coast now heads into the tournament with a more positive atmosphere after concerns created by the defeat to Ghana.

The players are expected to travel to Rabat later on Friday evening, where they will settle into their base camp for the competition.

Attention will now quickly shift toward the opening group-stage fixture and the challenge of competing against some of the strongest youth teams on the continent.

Cameroon await in opening match

Ivory Coast will officially begin its U17 AFCON campaign on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, when the Young Elephants face Cameroon at 1 p.m. GMT.

The meeting against the young Lions of Cameroon is expected to provide an immediate test for the Ivorians as they seek to make a strong start in the tournament.

With preparations now complete, the focus for the coaching staff will turn toward tactical planning and ensuring the squad is fully ready for the opening fixture.

The win over Tanzania may not erase all the questions raised during preparation matches, but it provides valuable momentum heading into the competition.

Positive ending before continental challenge

The closing stages of preparation can often shape the mood surrounding a team before a major tournament, and Ivory Coast will be encouraged by the way it responded in Casablanca.

After experiencing both positive and difficult moments during the warm-up period, the Young Elephants now travel to Rabat with a victory behind them and renewed confidence ahead of the U17 Africa Cup of Nations.

The challenge will now be to carry that momentum into the tournament itself as Ivory Coast looks to begin its continental campaign strongly against Cameroon.