Hervé Renard's second spell in charge of the Ivory Coast has begun flawlessly with two wins and two clean sheets in 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying. The Elephants beat Ghana 2-0 in Bouaké and Somalia 2-0 in Abidjan, taking six points to sit top of their group, as seen on our standings page.
The 'White Witch' returns to a side he led to continental glory in 2015. His comeback, following the Emerse Faé era, blends experience with a new generation of talent. Against Ghana, Malick Yalcouyé opened the scoring before Franck Kessié converted a second-half penalty. Versus Somalia, the goals came from substitutes Yann Gboho and Bazoumana Touré. Their recent form is therefore excellent, with four goals scored and none conceded, a statistic that solidifies their group standing.
A solid base and a renewed squad
Renard has immediately stamped his authority, favouring a defensively solid unit. "We had a team that knew how to suffer, not only to play well," he once said of his Zambia team. "We had the best team of the tournament, not of Africa." This philosophy seems to resonate with players like Ousmane Diomande and Guela Doué, now part of the core group. The manager can review detailed profiles of all players on the squad page.
The manager has also convinced key figures to remain committed. Winger Nicolas Pépé, who had considered international retirement, reversed his decision after talks with Renard. "I had left some doubts about my situation with the Ivory Coast," Pépé told journalists, "but I had a discussion with the coach, where he explained what he wanted to do with me and everything he expected of me."
This rebuilding work follows a recent friendly setback, a 1-0 loss to Cameroon on October 3rd. The aim is now to confirm this positive momentum in the next qualifier, at home to Gambia on November 11th. Supporters can mark this key date in the full schedule of fixtures.
With promising talents like Amad Diallo, Christ Inao Oulai and Yan Diomande also in the fold, Renard has a broad squad to build his project. The French coach, the only man in history to win the AFCON with two different nations, clearly aims to add a third star to Ivory Coast's honours. His next assignment is a friendly match scheduled for the upcoming international break, ahead of the major qualifying fixture in November where the team must maintain its 90-minute focus per game.
The original report is at africa.espn.com
