December 24, (THEWILL) — Ivory Coast began their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Mozambique in their Group F opener at Stade de Marrakech on Wednesday. Amad Diallo’s second-half strike proved decisive for the defending champions.
The opening exchanges were frantic, with both sides pressing forward. Mozambique’s Geny Catamo forced an early save from the Ivorian goalkeeper, whilst Wilfried Zaha threatened down the left wing. Diallo attempted a free-kick in the 20th minute but failed to hit the target. The Elephants dominated possession through the middle of the park, yet neither team could break through before the interval.
Diallo opened the scoring four minutes into the second half, firing home with his right foot from a central position following sustained pressure. The goal came after the Elephants had controlled proceedings throughout the first 45 minutes without finding a breakthrough.
Ivory Coast continued to press for a second goal after taking the lead, finding joy in wide areas through one-on-one situations. Mozambique struggled to advance the ball and were starved of possession for much of the second period. The champions maintained their intensity approaching the 75th minute.
The Elephants controlled the closing stages in Marrakesh, keeping Mozambique at arm’s length. The clean sheet and three points gave the defending champions the perfect start to their Group F campaign.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
