African champions Côte d'Ivoire began their World Cup qualification journey with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Gambia on March 25, 2025. A solitary goal was enough for the Elephants to secure all three points in a match where they were expected to dominate but found a stubborn Gambian defense difficult to break down. The only goal of the game came in the first half, likely from a moment of individual quality from one of Côte d'Ivoire's star attackers, such as Sébastien Haller or Simon Adingra. Despite controlling possession, the Ivorians were frustrated for large periods and had to rely on their own defensive solidity to see out the win as Gambia pressed for a late equalizer. The result placed Côte d'Ivoire at the top of their group early on, but the performance highlighted the competitive nature of CAF qualification. Gambia's manager praised his team's organization, while the Ivorian coach acknowledged the need for improvement despite the positive result.