World Cup 2026: Ivory Coast complete preparations with victory over Philadelphia Union II

Ivory Coast completed their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a convincing 2-0 victory over Philadelphia Union II, extending their positive run ahead of the tournament.

The Elephants entered the match having already secured an impressive 2-1 win over France in their previous friendly outing.

Facing the reserve side of Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park on Monday night, Emerse Faé’s team delivered another encouraging performance as they fine-tuned their preparations before the start of the competition.

The encounter featured an unusual format consisting of three periods of 30 minutes each. The arrangement allowed the Ivorian coaching staff to rotate extensively and assess different tactical options while providing valuable playing time to members of the squad.

Ivory Coast made a strong start and quickly imposed themselves on the contest during the opening period. With Alban Lafont commanding the goal, the Elephants controlled possession and created early opportunities.

Their dominance was rewarded in the ninth minute when Evann Guessand found the breakthrough. The forward finished off an excellent move after receiving a well-delivered pass from Bazoumana Touré down the left flank, giving the African champions a deserved lead.

The second period saw Ivory Coast increase their advantage as they continued to dictate proceedings. In the 40th minute, Ange-Yoan Bonny doubled the lead from the penalty spot, scoring his first goal for the national team and further strengthening his side’s control of the match.

The Elephants later had an opportunity to add a third goal when Nicolas Pépé won another penalty. However, Philadelphia Union II goalkeeper Jojo Elliot denied the winger from the spot, preventing the scoreline from becoming more emphatic.

Despite the missed chance, Ivory Coast comfortably saw out the remainder of the match to secure a 2-0 victory against opponents competing in MLS Next Pro, the third tier of North American football.

The result means Emerse Faé’s side have won both of their World Cup warm-up matches, offering further encouragement as attention now shifts to competitive action.

With preparations complete, the Elephants can approach the tournament with growing confidence after successive victories and encouraging performances from across the squad.

Their focus now turns to the opening Group Stage fixture against Ecuador on June 14 at Philadelphia Stadium. The match will mark the beginning of Ivory Coast’s World Cup campaign as they aim to make a strong start on football’s biggest stage.