Ivory Coast secured a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Mozambique on Wednesday evening in their opening match of the group stage at the Africa Cup of Nations, currently being held in Morocco.
The closely contested encounter saw the Ivorian side claim all three points in a challenging start to their campaign.
The decisive goal came shortly after halftime, when Manchester United winger Amad Diallo found the back of the net in the 49th minute.
His strike proved enough to separate the two teams and give Ivory Coast an important early advantage in the group.
Ivory Coast started the match with high ambitions, relying on their extensive experience in continental competitions and a squad rich in star power.
Despite the absence of striker Sébastien Haller, who was ruled out of the tournament due to a hamstring injury sustained while playing for Utrecht in the Dutch league, the team showed resilience and determination.
The Ivorians fielded a strong lineup featuring Franck Kessié of Saudi club Al-Ahli, Wilfried Zaha, and Amad Diallo, while Mozambique looked to stay compact and disciplined throughout the match but struggled to create clear scoring chances.
With this result, Ivory Coast collect their first three points in a group that also includes Cameroon and Gabon, strengthening their position early in the tournament.
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