DR Congo and Ivory Coast top Africa Cup of Nations qualifying opening wins

DR Congo defeated Equatorial Guinea 2-0 in Kinshasa, with captain Chancel Mbemba scoring early and Yoane Wissa adding a second late in the game. The match was played with a limited crowd of 20,000 due to sanctions for fan violence. Mauritania, Namibia, and Libya also secured wins or draws in the opening matches, with Libya salvaging a 2-2 draw against Botswana with a late penalty. Ivory Coast beat Ghana 2-0 in a derby in Bouaké.