Côte d’Ivoire booked their place in the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2026 quarter-finals as Group B winners after defeating Tanzania 2-1 at Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca on Tuesday, Bold Sports reports.
The Lady Elephants entered the decisive fixture in impressive form after thrashing Burkina Faso 4-1 in their opening match and fighting back for a 2-2 draw against defending champions South Africa. That unbeaten run highlighted their attacking strength, with Konan continuing to influence matches while Ouedraogo added another vital contribution in front of goal.
Tanzania needed victory to reach the knockout stage but faced the challenge without suspended midfielder Hasnath Ubamba, who missed the match after receiving a red card against Burkina Faso.
The East Africans competed well early on, yet Côte d’Ivoire looked more dangerous whenever they advanced. Their persistence paid off just before half-time when Ines Konan delivered a precise pass into the area and Ouedraogo calmly finished in the 44th minute to hand Reynald Pedros’ side a deserved advantage.
The breakthrough rewarded Côte d’Ivoire’s patient approach and shifted the pressure firmly onto the Twiga Stars.
Tanzania pushed forward after the restart in search of an equaliser, introducing fresh legs to increase the tempo. Côte d’Ivoire, however, stayed organised and punished their opponents again in the 68th minute.
Konan confidently converted a penalty to double the lead and strengthen her growing reputation as one of the tournament’s standout attacking performers. The goal also reflected the Lady Elephants’ balance between disciplined defending and clinical finishing throughout the group stage.
With the two-goal cushion, Côte d’Ivoire managed the contest effectively while limiting Tanzania’s opportunities.
The Twiga Stars continued to fight until the closing moments and finally found a breakthrough in the ninth minute of stoppage time.
Msewa converted from the penalty spot to reduce the deficit, ensuring Tanzania scored in each of their three group matches. The late strike, however, arrived too late to change the outcome as the final whistle confirmed their elimination.
Despite exiting the competition, Tanzania leave Morocco with a historic achievement after claiming their first-ever WAFCON victory earlier in the tournament against South Africa.
Côte d’Ivoire finished Group B unbeaten with seven points from two wins and one draw, marking an outstanding return to the continental championship after a 12-year absence. South Africa claimed the second quarter-final place following their victory over Burkina Faso, while Tanzania and Burkina Faso exited with three points each.
The Lady Elephants now head into the knockout rounds carrying momentum, confidence and one of the competition’s most consistent group-stage records.
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