World Cup 2026 qualifying: Ivory Coast beat The Gambia to clinch second win

Ivory Coast continued their perfect start in 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers with a 2-0 away win over The Gambia in Group F.

Midfielder Kouame had struck a powerful volley against the crossbar moments before, with a follow-up effort from Brighton winger Simon Adingra cleared off the line.

Seko Fofana made sure of the points in a match played in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with a fierce long-range strike in the 85th minute.

The West Africans move above Gabon to top Group F on goal difference, having beaten Seychelles 9-0 in their opener on Friday.

Elsewhere Equatorial Guinea also made it two wins from two, and Guinea-Bissau registered their first victory.

Later on Monday Seychelles host Kenya in the Ivorian city of Abidjan and there are also two matches in Group I, with Mali welcoming Central African Republic and Chad facing Madagascar in neutral Oujda, Morocco.

Former Middlesbrough and Birmingham City man Emilio Nsue guided in a ninth-minute header to give Equatorial Guinea a 1-0 win in their away game against Liberia.

The hosts had Nohan Kenneh sent off in first-half injury time for a second bookable offence and could not find a way back into the contest in Monrovia.

The National Thunder move top of Group H, three points ahead of Tunisia and Malawi, who face each other on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Guinea-Bissau sealed a 1-0 away victory over Djibouti in Cairo, Egypt, despite having defender Houboulang Mendes dismissed with eight minutes remaining.

Mauro Rodrigues netted the only goal six minutes before the break after pouncing on a poor clearance inside the area, and the West Africans are now on four points in Group A, two behind leaders Egypt.

Africa has a guaranteed nine qualifiers for the 2026 finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States, with all group winners booking a spot at the tournament.