By Zuleihat Owuiye, Nigeria

lvory Coast began their Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying campaign with a 2-0 victory over Ghana in Bouake on Thursday, with Brighton striker Malick Yalcouye marking his international debut with a goal.

The 20-year-old forward produced an impressive first appearance for the Elephants, opening the scoring shortly before half-time before captain Franck Kessie added a second goal from the penalty spot in the second half.

The victory gave Ivory Coast an important start to their Group C campaign, while Ghana were left to reflect on a difficult opening match after missing several key players.

Yalcouye broke the deadlock in the 44th minute after receiving the opportunity to test Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi from outside the penalty area.

The Brighton striker struck a powerful effort that beat Ati-Zigi at his near post, sending the home supporters into celebration and giving Ivory Coast a 1-0 advantage going into the interval.

The goal capped an impressive debut for Yalcouye, who had been handed his first senior international appearance in a match carrying significant importance for both West African rivals.

Ivory Coast continued to apply pressure after the restart and were rewarded with another opportunity in the 58th minute.

Captain Franck Kessie stepped up to take the penalty and calmly converted it to double the hosts’ advantage.

The second goal gave Ivory Coast greater control of the match and placed Ghana under increased pressure as the visitors attempted to find a way back into the contest.

Ghana’s preparations for the opening qualifier had already been affected by injuries and absences.

The Black Stars were without midfielder Mohammed Kudus, while their attacking options were further weakened by the late withdrawals of strikers Jordan Ayew and Antoine Semenyo because of injuries.

The absence of the experienced forwards reduced Ghana’s options in attack and made their task against an Ivory Coast side playing at home even more difficult.

Despite the setbacks, Ghana entered the match with the ambition of securing a positive result from the opening round of qualifying. However, they struggled to convert their opportunities and were unable to find a response after Ivory Coast established their two-goal lead.

For Ivory Coast, the result provided a strong beginning to their campaign as they look to secure qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Yalcouye’s performance was one of the major talking points from the match. Scoring on his senior international debut provided the young striker with an early opportunity to make an impression at international level.

His first-half goal also came at a crucial moment, arriving just before the break and giving Ivory Coast a psychological advantage heading into the second half.

Kessie’s penalty then strengthened that advantage and allowed the hosts to manage the remainder of the game with greater confidence.

The result will also provide encouragement for Ivory Coast’s coaching staff as they assess their options ahead of the remaining qualifiers.

Ghana, meanwhile, will need to regroup before their next Group C fixture. The defeat means the Black Stars begin their qualification campaign without a point and will have to improve their attacking performance in their upcoming matches.

The availability of their injured players could also become an important factor as the qualifying campaign progresses, particularly following the absence of Kudus, Ayew and Semenyo in Bouake.

The Africa Cup of Nations remains one of the most important competitions in African football, and qualification is a major objective for national teams across the continent.

For Ivory Coast, Thursday’s victory provides an early boost and puts them in a strong position after the opening match of their group campaign. The Elephants will now look to build on the result and maintain their momentum as the qualifiers continue.

For Yalcouye, the night was particularly memorable. The young Brighton forward not only earned his first senior cap but also found the back of the net against one of Ivory Coast’s major regional rivals.

His goal, combined with Kessie’s successful penalty, ensured that Ivory Coast secured all three points without conceding.

Ghana will now have to focus on the next stage of their qualifying campaign, with the team expected to work on improving their attacking threat and recovering from the injury setbacks that affected their preparations.

The 2-0 result ultimately gave Ivory Coast the perfect start they were looking for, while Ghana were left with work to do as the race for places at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations gathers pace.