Ivory Coast was defeated 2-0 by Albania on Monday, October 26, at the Hövsan complex in Baku, finishing second in Group Y of the FIFA U15 World Cup and Festival. This first loss in five matches sends the Little Elephants to League B for the second phase.
Santiago Perkola scored both Albanian goals in the 23rd and 36th minutes, according to the Albanian Football Federation. The forward thus enabled his team to finish the first round with five victories and first place in the group.
Lamine Yamal elected best young player for the third time with Yan Diomandé among the nomineesThe Ivorian team finishes this phase with twelve points, four wins, and one loss. They scored 27 goals and conceded two, both during this last match, for a goal difference of plus 25.
Before this setback, the young Ivorians had beaten Rwanda 5-0, the Turks and Caicos Islands 6-0, Vanuatu 11-0, and Mauritania 5-0. Their run without conceding a goal ended against the only other group opponent who had won their first four matches.
The ranking from the first phase determines the level contested thereafter. Albania joins League A, reserved for the group winners, while Ivory Coast will compete in League B. No team is eliminated at this stage, and each level will designate its own winner.
This inaugural edition brings together 189 FIFA member associations in an eight-player format with matches consisting of two twenty-minute halves. The tournament continues in Baku until October 30, with the finals of the various levels scheduled at the Crystal Hall.
