Elephants cruise to WC group stage

Serge Aurier © Backpagepix

Ivory Coast booked their place in the group stage of the 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifiers after seeing off Liberia 4-0 on aggregate.

Following their 1-0 victory in Monrovia in the first leg, the Elephants enjoyed a convincing 3-0 win over the Lone Star in Abidjan on Tuesday afternoon.

A first-half brace from Stade Rennais striker Giovanni Sio saw the Ivoiriens take a deserved 2-0 lead into halftime, with OGC Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri sealing the deal on 64 minutes.

Deprived of many star players at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, including defender Eric Bailly, charismatic skipper Yaya Touré, winger Max Gradel and strikers Salomon Kalou and Wilfried Bony, the 2015 African champions lived up to their status in their bid for a fourth consecutive World Cup finals appearance.

Michel Dussuyer’s men joined fellow continental giants Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and Egypt in the final qualifying round to Russia 2018.

Ivory Coast 3 (2)-0 (0) Liberia

Goals: Giovanni Sio (16’ and 35’), Jean Michael Seri (64’) for Ivory Coast

IVORY COAST STARTING XI: Sylvain Gbohouo, Ousmane Viera, Arthur Boka, Lamine Kone, Serge Aurier, Jean Daniel Akpa Akpro, Jean Michael Seri, Geoffroy Serey Die, Giovanni Sio, Seydou Doumbia, Gervinho.

LIBERIA STARTING XI: Tommy Sango, Dennis Teah Baysah, Adolhus Marshall, Dirkir Glay, Solomon Grimes, Alseny Keita, Sam Johson, Dioh Williams, William Jebor, Zah Krangah, Antony Laffor.