Ivory Coast v Mozambique live: Afcon 2025 updates
The Elephants begin their title defence and pursuit of a fourth continental crown
Ivory Coast begin their Africa Cup of Nations title defence against Mozambique in their opening game of Group F in Marrakech.
The Elephants, searching for a fourth continental crown after edging out Nigeria 2-1 on home soil in the last edition’s gripping final, are among the favourites this year.
Emerse Fae’s side have been in fine form, producing a perfect round of World Cup 2026 qualifying with 25 goals scores and none conceded, with Group F likely to be decided between them and fellow contenders Cameroon, with their opening game against Gabon today.
With striker Sebastien Haller ruled out with injury, and Sunderland winger Simon Adingra snubbed this time out, Aston Villa forward Evann Guessand could shoulder some of the goalscoring burden. Experience comes from the likes of Franck Kessie, while Nottingham Forest's Ibrahim Sangare brings quality in midfield.
Follow live build-up, team news and minute-by-minute Afcon updates in our live blog below:
HALF-TIME! Ivory Coast 0-0 Mozambique
And that’s half-time in Marrakech. The reigning Afcon champions Ivory Coast have dominated Mozambique but the Mambas have been stubborn in defence and held firm.
There’s 45 minutes left for the Elephants to find a goal and open their title defence with a win
SAVE! Ivory Coast 0-0 Mozambique, 45 mins
Doue’s cross is headed behind by Calila, who had more time than he thought but didn’t get the call. Zaha puts the corner into the box but Ernani is off his line to punch clear well.
Ivory Coast work the ball back to the byline, the cross is stood up by Kossounou and Ernani makes a complete mess of it, fumbling it straight out to Kessie who heads back at goal but Ernani redeems himself to get back across and make the save, catching the ball.
A huge moment of relief for the Mozambique keeper there and he got a bit lucky.
Ivory Coast 0-0 Mozambique, 40 mins
Zaha turns his man, cuts inside and rides a couple of challenges on the edge of the box but is eventually crowded out. Ivory Coast are completely dominant now but haven’t made the breakthrough yet
Ivory Coast 0-0 Mozambique, 36 mins
First yellow card of the game as Mozambique midfielder Witi lunges at Diomande from behind and brings him down. Clear booking.
MISS! Ivory Coast 0-0 Mozambique, 33 mins
Golden chance for Ivory Coast, their best of the game by far! Great work by Diallo down the right, dancing past his man and getting to the byline, where he cuts the ball back dangerously across the area.
Konan is in acres of space as he comes on to the ball, strikes it first time with his instep, back from where it came but it flashes wide of the right post! Ernani wasn’t going to get there. He should have scored.
Ivory Coast 0-0 Mozambique, 29 mins
Ivory Coast turning the screw now. Firstly they have a free-kick out on the left which Zaha curls in and Ernani dives out to punch clear.
Then Doue wins a corner as Langa blocks his cross and it comes to Diallo ont he edge of the box who curls a shot at goal but high and wide.
SAVE! Ivory Coast 0-0 Mozambique, 26 mins
Close for Ivory Coast. A deep cross whipped in from the right where Diomande tries a volley. He scuffs it into the ground, hardly a clean connection, but it loops up and is headed on target where Ernani leaps and tips it over the bar just to be on the safe side.
Mozambique then defend the corner well.
Ivory Coast 0-0 Mozambique, 20 mins
A cross in and Zaha’s header is looped but falls well short of the goal, allowing Ernani to gratefully collect the ball.
This is promising again for Ivory Coast though as Diallo cuts in from the right and the Man United man is bundled over by Witi. Free-kick, right of centre, 20 yards out. Diallo curls it but straight into the wall. Wasted opportunity
Ivory Coast 0-0 Mozambique, 16 mins
Overlapping run from Mozambique right-back Calila, found beautifully by Catamo, and his cross is blocked behind for ANOTHER corner, off Konan.
This time the Mambas go short and when they curl in a cross, it flies wide of the post but again, very promising from the underdogs.
Ivory Coast 0-0 Mozambique, 13 mins
Ivory Coast left-back Konan on the overlap and he wins a corner as his cross is blocked behind but Mozambique defend it well. Their centre-back pairing of Sunderland star Reinildo and the vastly-experienced Mexer is one of their strongest units.
Then, at the other end, Ivory Coast caught out by a ball over the top, Mozambique get the cross in from the right and Witi should do better from eight yards out, on the volley, but he’s hurried by Seri and his shot skews well wide.
The Mabas are having some decent moments here though and the reigning champs really need to be careful.
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