Côte d’Ivoire made a dream start to their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a convincing 4-1 victory over Burkina Faso at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca on Monday evening.
The Ivorians wasted little time asserting their authority and took the lead in the seventh minute when Rebecca Elloh calmly converted from the penalty spot. The early breakthrough settled Reynald Pedros’ side, who quickly tightened their grip on the contest.
Inès Konan then stole the spotlight with two goals in the space of nine minutes to put the game beyond Burkina Faso before half-time. The Strasbourg forward doubled Côte d’Ivoire’s advantage in the 14th minute before completing her brace in the 23rd minute, capping a ruthless opening spell that left the Lady Stallions with a mountain to climb.
Côte d’Ivoire continued to dictate the match after the restart and gained an even bigger advantage when Burkina Faso were reduced to 10 players following a red card in the 52nd minute. Four minutes later, N’Sira Safi Ouedraogo added a fourth goal to underline her side’s dominance and complete an impressive attacking display.
Burkina Faso managed a late response through Adama Congo, who found the net in the 60th minute to reduce the deficit. However, the Lady Stallions failed to build any momentum from the goal as Côte d’Ivoire comfortably saw out the remainder of the contest to secure all three points.
The emphatic victory gives Côte d’Ivoire an early boost in a competitive Group B that also features South Africa and Tanzania. It also marks a successful return to the Women’s AFCON after their last appearance in 2014.
Monday’s result continued another impressive record for the Ivorians, who have now scored in every Women’s AFCON match they have played. Before facing Burkina Faso, they had found the back of the net in each of their previous eight matches at the continental finals.
Head coach Reynald Pedros will be particularly pleased with his team’s attacking quality, especially Konan’s clinical finishing during the first half. The former Morocco coach, who guided the Atlas Lionesses to the 2022 Women’s AFCON final, could hardly have asked for a better start as he looks to lead Côte d’Ivoire beyond the group stage.
For Burkina Faso, the defeat extends their wait for a first-ever Women’s AFCON victory. The Lady Stallions made their tournament debut in 2022, where they suffered defeats to Morocco and Senegal before earning a 2-2 draw against Uganda. They will now need a strong response to revive their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds.
Côte d’Ivoire will next face South Africa in a crucial Group B encounter, while Burkina Faso will look to register their first points of the tournament when they take on Tanzania.
