Ruthless Ivory Coast rain down on Harambee Stars to book World Cup ticket

Harambee Stars wrapped up their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign on a disappointing note, falling 3-0 to Côte d’Ivoire in their final Group F match staged at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara on Tuesday evening.

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Franck Kessié, 18-year-old sensation Yan Diomandé and Amad Diallo were on target for the Elephants, who dominated proceedings from start to finish to seal their passage to next year’s global showpiece in Mexico, Canada, and the USA.

The result confirmed Côte d’Ivoire as group winners and sent the reigning Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champions to yet another major tournament, while Kenya finished fourth with 12 points, their best tally ever in World Cup qualifying.

Gabon came second with 25 points after beating Burundi 2-0, Gambia third with 13 after thumping Seychelles 7-0 earlier in the day.

Burundi ended fifth on 10, while Seychelles finished bottom without a single point.

Match Report

Ivory Coast named a strong side for the crucial World Cup qualifier, fully aware that a win would book their place in the global showpiece.

Kenya, on the other hand, got off to a shaky start, struggling to string passes together in the opening minutes at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan.

It did not take long for the hosts to show intent.

In the fourth minute, Amad Diallo pounced on a loose ball from Suleiman Okwaro, nutmegged him brilliantly, and slipped the ball to Nicolas Pépé.

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The former Arsenal man swung in a teasing cross that Diallo followed up, forcing a desperate goal-line clearance from Sylvester Owino to keep the scores level.

But the pressure soon told.

Just three minutes later, Diallo once again danced past Manzur Suleiman before setting up Franck Kessié.

The Ivorian captain took one touch to his right foot and coolly chipped the ball over the advancing Bryne Omondi to send the Abidjan crowd into wild celebration.

The Elephants continued to press, with Pépé and Diallo combining dangerously down the flanks.

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Pépé had a golden chance to double the advantage midway through the half but miscued his effort, letting Kenya off the hook.

As the game crossed the half-hour mark, it was still the Ivorian wingers causing endless problems for the Kenyan backline.

However, Kenya began to find some rhythm of their own, with Timothy Ouma and Wilson Lenkupae linking up well to feed captain Michael Olunga.

Their efforts were quickly snuffed out by the solid Ivorian defence that failed to concede a goal in the qualifiers, as Guéla Doué and Ghislain Konan stood firm, denying Olunga any sniff at goal and keeping goalkeeper Yahia Fofana largely untested.

In the 42nd minute, Diallo nearly made it two for the hosts after rounding Omondi, but the Kenyan keeper stretched to tip the ball over the bar for a corner.

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Pépé had once again done the hard work, dispossessing Okwaro before bursting forward and squaring it to Diallo, whose effort deflected wide.

From the resulting corner, Omondi came off his line, leading to a brief goalmouth scramble, but Collins Sichenje reacted fastest to clear the danger.

Moments later, Diallo broke through again, though his low shot caused no trouble for Kenya.

Ivory Coast ended the half firmly in control, camping deep in Kenya’s half and winning a free kick in a promising area after a foul on Yan Diomandé.

Pépé’s curling left-footed effort, however, drifted narrowly wide.

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By the half-time whistle, the Elephants had registered eight shots, five on target, while Kenya failed to attempt a single shot at goal.

The only statistic the visitors led in was throw-ins, edging the hosts 8–6.

Emerse Faé’s men went into the break dominant, while Benni McCarthy's Harambee Stars knew they needed a major response in the second half to halt the hosts' party.

At the start of the second half, coach McCarthy rung two quick changes, withdrawing Alphonce Omija and Alpha Onyango for Adam Wilson and Job Ochieng.

The reshuffle hinted at a more attacking approach, with McCarthy eager to spark life into a forward line that had struggled to find rhythm in the first half.

Kenya began the half brightly and earned their first corner of the game in the 50th minute, Ochieng’s persistence forcing RC Strasbourg defender Guéla Doué to concede a set piece under pressure.

Moments earlier, Ibrahim Sangaré had gone close for the hosts with a curling free-kick that sailed just over Bryne Omondi’s crossbar.

But as the visitors began to grow in confidence, the Elephants swiftly reminded them who was boss.

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Building patiently from the back, Ghislain Konan glided past Wilson on the left flank and released a quick pass to Diomandé.

The teenage RB Leipzig forward drove forward, cut inside, and unleashed a thunderous strike from the edge of the box that flew past Omondi into the top corner, a goal of pure class that doubled Ivory Coast’s lead in the 54th minute.

The stadium erupted with chants, cheers, and rhythmic drumming filled the air as fans celebrated what felt like the goal that sealed their ticket to North America.

Even the small group of Kenyan supporters rose to their feet, waving flags and urging the Stars to keep fighting.

Play was briefly halted in the 58th minute when a pitch invader sprinted across the field before being swiftly tackled by stewards.

When play resumed, Kenya enjoyed more of the ball but continued to lack penetration in the final third.

Ivory Coast made their first change at the hour mark, with Yanga SC midfielder Pacome Zouzoua replacing an unhappy Nicolas Pépé.

McCarthy responded by resting captain Michael Olunga for Duke Abuya, but the change did little to alter the rhythm of the game.

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The Elephants continued to dictate the tempo, zipping passes across midfield with ease.

Sangaré, Kessié, and Diomandé controlled the centre of the park, stretching Kenya’s shape and forcing the visitors into deep defensive positions.

Côte d’Ivoire’s pressing was relentless; each time Kenya tried to build from the back, they were met with a wall of orange shirts.

The hosts looked dangerous with every attack, with Konan and Doué pushing high and delivering crosses that kept the Kenyan defence on alert.

In the 76th minute, coach Emerse Faé refreshed his attack, introducing Sébastien Haller and Simon Adingra in place of Evann Guessand and Diomandé.

Soon after, light rain began to fall over Abidjan, adding a glistening sheen to the turf and elevating the electric atmosphere in the stands.

The drizzle only seemed to lift the home supporters’ voices as they sang louder, sensing a famous night in the making.

Kenya threw in fresh legs with Austine Odhiambo and Marvin Nabwire replacing Wilson Lenkupae and Timothy Ouma, but it was the Ivory Coast who kept up the pressure.

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In the 82nd minute, Haller earned a free-kick just outside the box after being brought down by Collins Sichenje.

Up stepped Manchester United’s Amad Diallo, who curled a beautiful left-footed strike around the Kenyan wall and into the bottom corner to make it 3-0 and put the result beyond doubt.

It was Diallo’s second international goal and one that sealed the Elephants’ qualification in style.

The celebrations inside the stadium were deafening as players waved to the stands, egging on the supporters as chants of “Côte d’Ivoire! Côte d’Ivoire!” echoed around the soaked arena.

With the job done, Faé made two more late changes, bringing Armel Junior Zohouri in to replace Doué, and Oumar Diakité coming on for Diallo in the 87th minute.

The rain turned heavier, waterlogging parts of the pitch and slowing the ball, but the Elephants continued to boss possession, stroking the ball around confidently as the clock wound down.

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Côte d’Ivoire closed the game in complete control, showcasing the composure of champions.

They join Tunisia as the only African sides to go through the World Cup qualifiers without conceding a goal.