Somalia go face Ivory Coast dis Tuesday, September 29, for Matchday 2 of Group C inside di 2027 AFCON Qualifiers. Kick-off na 3:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM PT for Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Fans for United States can watch di match LIVE on beIN SPORTS and beIN SPORTS CONNECT.
Somalia open dia qualifying campaign with 2-1 defeat against The Gambia. The Scorpions take di lead for 18th minute wen Ebrima Colley convert from penalty spot. Somalia however stay inside game and eventually find equalizer during second half. Bilal Njie make am 1-1 for 72nd minute, but di score remain level for only 11 minutes. Muhammed Badamosi, wey dem introduce at halftime, finish from Suleiman Camara pass for 83rd minute to secure all three points for The Gambia.
Di result leave Somalia without any point heading into demanding second fixture against Ivorian side wey make winning start. Ivory Coast begin dia qualifying campaign with 2-0 victory over Ghana for Stade de la Paix in Bouaké. Hervé Renard side break di deadlock for 44th minute. Malick Yalcouyé, one of di newcomers inside di squad, score after Franck Kessié set am up. Yalcouyé involve again after halftime wen he win penalty. Kessié convert from spot for 58th minute to complete di 2-0 victory.
After Matchday 1, Ivory Coast and The Gambia lead Group C with three points each, while Ghana and Somalia remain without point. Di section no contain any of di three automatically qualified AFCON 2027 co-hosts, meaning teams wey finish first and second after six matchdays go qualify directly for di finals in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
For Somalia, Tuesday match provide opportunity to respond after dem come close to collecting point against The Gambia. Ivory Coast meanwhile can move to six points and strengthen dia early position inside race for one of di group two qualifying places.
