Ivory Coast Lays Down Marker In 2023 AFCON Qualifiers Group H, Thumps Zambia

• The Ivory Coast was far too strong for Zambia in the second match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Group H qualifiers
• The Elephants put the visiting Chipolopolo away 3-1 at the Stade de Yamoussoukro in Yamoussoukro
• Serge Aurier, Christian Kouame and Ibrahim Sangare overwhelmed the visitors, before the impressive Patson Daka pulled on back for Zambia

The Ivory Coast was simply too hot for Zambia in the second match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers Group H match at the Stade de Yamoussoukro.

In a match Sports Brief observed, the Elephants overran Chipolopolo 3-1 in what was a relatively comfortable win, a match that was a repeat of the legendary 2012 final in Equatorial-Guinea that Zambia won its maiden senior African title.

Serge Aurier opened the scoring for the hosts in the 67th minute, before goals from Christian Kouame in the 76th minute and Ibrahim Sangare's 89th minute dagger put them in a commanding and unassailable 3-0 lead. The defiant Patson Daka pulled one back in the 93rd minute to add respectability to the scoreline.

Karim Benzema shares warm hug with Kylian Mbappe after failed Real Madrid move

Football

The Ivorians might have qualified automatically as the hosts of next year's continental showpiece event, but they appeared intent on getting to it in the reddest-hot fashion possible, partly because they failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year.

Passage to the tournament shouldn't prove particularly troublesome for Zambia, as they have to contend with Comoros and Lesotho as the other nations in the group, but they cannot repeat what was a toothless effort.

Comoros happened to swat is Likoena 2-0 in the earlier match courtesy of goals by Youssouf Yacoub M'Changama and Benjaloud Youssou.

These results had the Ivory Coast leading the group ahead of the Comoros islands by virtue of goal difference, while Zambia and Lesotho came in third and fourth respectively similarly.

Repeat of 2012 African Cup of Nations between Ivory Coast and Zambia headlines 2023 qualifiers weekend

Hosts of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Ivory Coast and Zambia will collide tonight in what will probably be the drawcard match of this weekend's qualifiers fixtures.

Huge blow as Ghana loses key defender ahead of AFCON qualifiers

Football

As reported on Sports Brief, the two sides are part of a relatively undemanding Group H, with unfancied Lesotho and Comoros forming the quartet.

As hosts of next year's tournament, the Ivorians qualified automatically, and will have something of a free hit going into that event.