Ivory Coast began their CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 campaign with an impressive 2-0 victory over Cameroon in Casablanca on Wednesday.
The Young Elephants produced a disciplined second-half display at Stade Mohamed V to secure all three points in their opening Group B fixture and move to the top of the standings.
Goals from Ange Nomane and Hubert Yao ensured the West African side made an ideal start in what is widely viewed as one of the competition’s toughest groups.
After a tightly contested first half, Ivory Coast gradually assumed control of the match and were rewarded in the 52nd minute when Nomane opened the scoring with a composed finish following sustained pressure in the Cameroonian half.
The goal shifted momentum firmly in favour of the Ivorians, who continued to attack with confidence and intensity.
Just five minutes later, Hubert Yao doubled the lead to complete a decisive spell for the Young Elephants and put the match beyond Cameroon’s reach.
Ivory Coast remained organised defensively throughout the contest and successfully limited the impact of Cameroon’s attacking threats, including wide players Rony Baliag Nougi and Omar Amir Tsombeng.
Although Cameroon attempted to respond after falling behind, the Ivorians stayed compact at the back while continuing to threaten on counterattacks.
The victory gives Ivory Coast an early advantage in the race for qualification to the knockout stage and underlines their status as one of the early contenders in the tournament.
The result also highlights the growing strength of youth football development in West Africa, with Ivory Coast continuing to produce technically gifted and tactically disciplined young players capable of competing at continental level.
For Cameroon, the defeat represents a disappointing start to the competition despite entering the tournament as two-time champions at this level.
Coach Alioum Sidou’s side will now face increased pressure heading into their second group match as they seek to revive their qualification hopes.
The Group B encounter was one of the opening fixtures of the tournament in Morocco, which has brought together some of Africa’s most promising young football talent.
Elsewhere, Egypt and Ethiopia played out a goalless draw in the opening Group A fixture, while DR Congo were scheduled to face Uganda later in the day.
Ivory Coast’s strong opening performance is likely to increase expectations around the team as the tournament progresses, particularly after the composure and maturity shown by the young squad in their first outing.
The Young Elephants, who arrived in Morocco as WAFU B champions, demonstrated both attacking efficiency and defensive discipline against one of the continent’s traditionally strong youth sides.
With three points already secured, attention will now turn to whether the Ivorians can maintain their momentum and strengthen their push for a place in the knockout rounds of the competition.
