In Libreville, Ivory Coast were 3-0 winners over Gaborone to go top of Group C, two points above Morocco who thrashed Mali 6-0 on Friday.

After a barren first half, Max Gradel opened the scoring for the visitors with a goal in the 53rd minute.

Seydou Doumbia – currently on loan at Sporting in Portugal from Roma – then struck twice in six minutes to give the Elephants the win.

Both his goals were supplied by Gervinho, the first coming on 77 minutes when he lifted the ball over Gabon’s goalkeeper.

His second, on 83 minutes, went in off the far post after a sweetly-struck strike.

Gabon were without their talismanic forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who was not available for this fixture.

Ivory Coast have not lost in World Cup qualifying for 26 games – a run that has been going for 12 years.

On Tuesday, the two teams will face each other again in Bouake.