Ivory Coast won comfortably against Malawi in a Group D third round encounter of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers in South Africa.
Ibrahim Sangare, Jeremie Boga, and Max Gradel were on the scoresheet as the Elephants emerged 3-0 winners at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg.
Patrice Beaumelle’s team sits top of the group with 7 points, one above Cameroon.
Malawi is third with 3 three points, while Mozambique is bottom of the group with just a point.
Gradel thrashed home emphatically from the left post off a Serge Aurier cross from the right flank to open the scoring in the 35th minute.
Sangare doubled the lead for the Elephants in the 85th minute when he slotted in from inside the box after receiving a pass from Gervinho.
The late drama continued as Jeremie Boga got the third of the game in 5 minutes of additional time.
The Sassuolo star fired in from the edge of the box after skipping past two Malawi players.
The return fixture will be played in Ivory Coast on Monday.
Meanwhile, in the other Group D game, Cameroon won 3-1 against Mozambique at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaoundé.
Choupo-Moting scored a brace while Karl Toko Ekambi got the other goal for the Indomitable Lions. Geny Catamo got the consolation for Mozambique.
The reverse fixture will be played in Morocco on Monday.