Ivory Coast crushed Seychelles 9-0 in Abidjan on Friday to create a record winning margin for a World Cup qualifier in Africa when Liverpool star Mohamed Salah scored four goals as Egypt trounced Djibouti 6-0, and minnows Lesotho pulled off a shock 1-1 draw in Nigeria in World Cup qualifying on Thursday.
Borussia Dortmund forward Sebastien Haller started the goal rush on 20 minutes and Karim Konate from Salzburg completed it five minutes into added time.
Konate and Hamed Traore scored two goals each and Haller, Ibrahim Sangare, Simon Adingra, Seko Fofana and Jean-Philippe Krasso one apiece in the match day one Group F mismatch.
Seychelles, a tourist destination off the east coast of Africa, are 195th in the FIFA rankings, 121 places below the Ivory Coast.
The seedings for the first round of 2026 World Cup qualifying in Africa meant the nine top-ranked teams were paired at home against the nine bottom ones, so it was almost inevitable that there could be some one-sided matches.
Egypt put six past Djibouti on Thursday in Group A with Liverpool star Mohamed Salah netting four times.
Before the Abidjan goal deluge, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Libya and Algeria shared the record with eight-goal winning margins.
While the Ivorians scored freely, fellow west Africans Ghana had to wait 96 minutes before Inaki Williams snatched the goal that earned a 1-0 win against Madagascar in Group I.
The Bilbao forward possibly saved the job of under-fire Ghana coach Chris Hughton by heading a Gideon Mensah cross past goalkeeper Melvin Adrien in Kumasi.
"This goal is very dear to me because my family was in the stadium," said Spain-born Williams after scoring his first for the country of his parents.
Former Premier League manager Hughton has been under huge pressure since friendly losses to Mexico and the United States last month.
Cameroon, whose eight World Cup appearances is an African record, struggled for much of a Group D home match with minnows Mauritius before a couple of late goals completed a 3-0 win.
Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo broke the deadlock in first-half added time in Douala and Georges N'Koudou and Frank Magri netted when the visitors tired.
Tunisia, who have qualified six times for the global showpiece, also won comfortably at home, beating Sao Tome e Principe 4-0 in Group H in Rades.
Zambia continued a revival under former Chelsea manager Avram Grant with second-half goals from Fashion Sakala and Patson Daka delivering a 4-2 Group E win over Congo Brazzaville in Ndola.
Burkina Faso, who hope to challenge Egypt for the first place and automatic qualification for the 2026 finals from Group A, suffered a setback when held 1-1 by Guinea-Bissau.
Reigning African champions Senegal and South Africa are among the teams in action on Saturday, when the 26-fixture first round ends. Matchday two begins on Sunday.
Salah scores four, Lesotho shock Nigeria in World Cup qualifying
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah scored four goals as Egypt trounced Djibouti 6-0, and minnows Lesotho pulled off a shock 1-1 draw in Nigeria in World Cup qualifying on Thursday.
After reaching the 200-goal mark in English football last Sunday, Salah netted twice in each half of a Group A matchday one romp in Cairo. Mostafa Mohamed and Trezeguet also scored.
Djibouti are ranked 154 places below Egypt and survived for only 17 minutes before a low cross eluded two defenders and Salah fired into the net at the far post.
He slammed a penalty over goalkeeper Sulait Luyima and into the roof of the net five minutes later to give record seven-time African champions Egypt a two-goal lead by half-time.
Salah completed his hat-trick with a tap over the line at the far post on 48 minutes and netted again on 69 minutes with a close-range shot into the far corner.
The two-time African Footballer of the Year has scored 52 goals for Egypt, who are seeking a fourth World Cup appearance, with Canada, Mexico and the United States hosting the 2026 finals.
Nigeria are 113 places above Lesotho in the world rankings and were expected to make a winning start in Group C despite the absence through injury of star forward Victor Osimhen.
But Lesotho stunned the nome crowd in the southeastern city of Uyo by taking a 56th-minute lead when Motlomelo Mkhwanazi rose at the far post to nod home after a corner.
Nigeria equalised 11 minutes later when Semi Ajayi, who plays for English second-tier club West Bromwich Albion, scored with a powerful header off a corner taken by captain Kelechi Iheanacho.
Aided by a second-minute own goal in Algiers, four-time World Cup qualifiers Algeria defeated lowly ranked Somalia 3-1 in Group G.
After a low cross struck Ahmed Abdi and entered the Somali net, Baghdad Bounedjah doubled the lead before half-time.
Yusuf Ahmed halved the deficit midway through the second half and Algeria had to wait until 10 minutes from time before restoring a two-goal lead through Islam Slimani.
Kenya, back in international football after a FIFA ban for political interference prevented them playing in 2024 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, lost 2-1 away to Gabon in Group F.
Masoud Juma put Kenya ahead just before half-time in Franceville, Denis Bouanga levelled on the hour mark and Guelor Kanga snatched an 88th-minute winner for the home side.
