Yalcouye makes dream debut as Ivory Coast beat Ghana in heavyweight clash

CAPE TOWN, Sept 24 : Ivory Coast debutant Malick Yalcouye scored the first goal and won the penalty for the second as they beat neighbours Ghana 2-0 in a fiery start to Africa Cup of Nations qualifying on Thursday.

Captain Frank Kessie converted a 58th-minute penalty in Bouake but it was the 20-year-old Brighton & Hove Albion attacker who stole the show in his first appearance, handing the home side the lead with a powerful left footed strike from outside the penalty area one minute before halftime.

Both the Ivorians and Ghanaians had got to the last-32 at the World Cup in mid-year and were playing their first game since their exploits at the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the US.

The Group C encounter was the first game back in charge for coach Herve Renard, who won the Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast in 2015, and whose new-look team dominated proceedings against a Ghana side hit by injury and missing the likes of Mohamed Kudus and Antoine Semenyo.

The opening day of the group qualifiers for next year’s finals in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda also had wins for Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritania, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

However, Tunisia, who were the only one of 10 African teams not to advance past the first phase of the World Cup, let an early lead slip and were held 1-1 at home by Uganda as their disappointing form continued.

DR Congo won 2-0 at home in Kinshasa against Equatorial Guinea with Chancel Mbemba heading in early and Yoane Wissa adding the second while also in Group E, Zimbabwe fought back from 2-0 down at halftime to beat Sierra Leone 3-2 with Marshall Munetsi (2) and Tawanda Chirewa scoring.

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Cameroon debutant David Nyengue opened the scoring and Bryan Mbeumo added the second