Goalless 'snoozefest' in Gabon, the Elephants earn a 'sweeter' point

Those who didn't watch the derby of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying Group F between Gabon and the Ivory Coast didn't miss much.

Both sides put in lackluster performances, being mainly focused on defending their own goals rather than pushing forward to score. Ivory Coast were slightly more concrete throughout the match, though the home crew wasted the best chance in the game when the sub Shavy Babicka hit the post three minutes before the end.

Anyway, the Elephants kept a one-point edge over Gabon ahead of the last two qualifying rounds and are much closer to the USA, Canada, and Mexico at the moment - 0-0.

Apart from being level at the break in terms of result, the two rivals were fairly even in almost all other aspects.

They had a similar possession percentage and an equal number of shots on target - one each. The game's pace wasn't fast either, as if both sides would have accepted a goalless draw before the match. And that's logical for the Ivory Coast, but Gabon needed a victory to leapfrog the Elephants and take over the top of Group F.

Yet, Thierry Mouyouma's men seemed rather uninspired despite Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's return to the team.

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After the break, the rhythm was pretty much the same as before. Ivory Coast were more keen on pushing forward and trying to score, but, at the same time, they were aware that the eventual draw worked perfectly for them, as they'd keep the top of the table. Given that they'd face the minnows Seychelles and Kenya at home in the last two rounds, this favourable schedule additionally boosted their confidence.

The Elephants boss, Emerse Fae, tried to mix things up in the final quarter of an hour, giving a chance to Evan Guessand and Simon Adingra, while, on the other hand, Mouyouma sent Shavy Babicka to the pitch, as his first sub.

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And then, out of nowhere, the Panthers finally created a chance in the 87th minute, but Babicka's missile from the edge of the box hit the post.

In the end, that turned out to be the last opportunity for the two zeros at the scoreboard to be removed. This way, the Elephants kept the top of Group F, while Gabon will have to wait for Ivory Coast's eventual failure.

2026 FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS - AFRICA

Monday

Equatorial Guinea - Tunisia 0-1 (0-0)

/Ben Romdhane 90+5/

Mozambique - Botswana 2-0 (1-0)

/Witi 6, Bangal 71/

Zambia - Morocco 0-2 (0-1)

/En Nesyri 7, Igamane 47/

Guinea - Algeria 0-0

Guinea Bissau - Djibouti 2-0 (0-0)

/Imbene 54, Cande 82/

Madagascar - Chad 3-1 (0-1)

/Caddy 52, Raveloson 69, Abdallah 90+3 - Allarabaye 25/

Malawi - Liberia 2-2 (0-1)

/Mhango 72, Kaonga 80 - Kosiah 3, 62/

Uganda - Somalia 2-0 (2-0)

/Okello 6 pen, Ssemugabi 39/

Ghana - Mali 1-0 (0-0)

/Djiku 49/

Libya - Eswatini 2-0 (2-0)

/Eisay 8, El Mariamy 19/

Tuesday

Kenya - Seychelles 5-0 (4-0)

/Ogam 7, 38, Sichenje 35, Olunga 45+5 pen, 67/

Namibia - Sao Tome 3-0 (1-0)

/Shalulile 41, 66, 71/

Sierra Leone - Ethiopia 2-0 (1-0)

/Kamara Mom. 37, Koroma 90+6/

Tanzania - Niger 0-1 (0-0)

/Sosah 58/

Zimbabwe - Rwanda 0-1 (0-1)

/Mugisha 40/

Burkina Faso - Egypt 0-0

Cape Verde - Cameroon 1-0 (0-0)

/Rocha Livramento 54/

DR Congo - Senegal 2-3 (2-1)

/Bakambu 26, Wissa 33 - Ndiaye I. 39, Jackson 53, Sarr 87/

South Africa - Nigeria 1-1 (1-1)

/Troost-Ekong 25 og - Bassey 44/

Togo - Sudan 1-0 (1-0)

/Fofana 6/

Angola - Mauritius 3-1 (1-1)

/Nzola 17, Fredy 57, Zini 63 - Francois 21/

Benin - Lesotho 1-0 IN PROGRESS

Gabon - Ivory Coast 0-0

Gambia - Burundi 1-0 IN PROGRESS

Mauritania - South Sudan 0-0