Côte d'Ivoire scores late win as Africa's 10 World Cup teams show mixed early results

Côte d'Ivoire secured Africa's first 2026 World Cup win with Amad Diallo's 90th-minute goal beating Ecuador 1-0, while Morocco held Brazil to a 1-1 draw and South Africa lost 2-0 to Mexico after two red cards. Tunisia suffered a 5-1 loss to Sweden. Victor Oluwafemi, Sporty TV's Senior Social Media Manager, tells DAILY POST that Morocco and Senegal are his top picks to reach the Round of 16, possibly joined by Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. He notes South Africa's opening performance was disappointing given their strong qualifying form against Nigeria, but praises Morocco's dominance against Brazil despite the draw. Oluwafemi adds that since their 2006 debut, Ghana have never had a 'bad' World Cup by African standards, blending veterans with fresh legs. He believes Senegal can advance via third-best loser spots despite being in a 'group of death'. With Spain facing debutant Cape Verde and Belgium taking on Egypt later Monday, the expert cautions that increased African representation (10 teams vs 5 in 2022) doesn't guarantee deeper runs due to heightened global competition. Which of these African teams' performances should Nigerians monitor for insights into continental football's trajectory ahead of future qualifiers?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/06/15/2026-world-cup-africas-10-teams-face-mixed-expectations/