Ivory Coast have progressed to the third round of the women’s football qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games after defeating the Democratic Republic of Congo 2-0 in the second leg of their second-round tie.
The Elephants secured the victory at the Félix-Houphouët-Boigny Stadium on Tuesday, keeping their hopes of reaching the Olympic tournament alive.
The Ivorian side took control early in the match and capitalised on their dominance in the first half, scoring twice within six minutes to establish a commanding advantage.
N’Sira Safi Ouédraogo opened the scoring in the 18th minute before Nadja Meité converted a penalty six minutes later to double Ivory Coast’s lead.
The hosts maintained their advantage after the break, with neither side able to add to the score as the Elephants secured their passage to the next stage of the qualifying campaign.
Ivory Coast’s progression represents another step towards their ambition of competing in the women’s football tournament at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The Ivorians will face Cameroon in the third round of qualifying, scheduled to take place from 23 February to 6 March 2027.
Captain Kakounan Bernadette Amani and her teammates will now turn their attention to that encounter as they seek to continue their push towards the Olympics.
The victory over DR Congo ensures the Elephants remain in contention, with the upcoming tie against Cameroon presenting their next challenge in the qualification process.
Ivory Coast made a strong start to Tuesday’s encounter, imposing themselves on the game and translating their early superiority into goals.
Ouédraogo’s opener in the 18th minute gave the home side the breakthrough they needed.
Meité then extended the advantage from the penalty spot in the 24th minute, leaving DR Congo with a difficult task.
The Ivorian players went into half-time with a two-goal cushion after a disciplined and determined first-half performance.
Following the restart, both teams attempted to change the scoreline, but neither managed to find the net during the second half.
The result allowed Ivory Coast to complete the match with a clean sheet and confirm their place in the third qualifying round.
