Goals from Christian Kouame and Seko Fofana ensured success for the fancied Ivorians in Dar-es-Salaam on Monday (Tuesday AEDT), where Gambia hosted the game because their own stadia were not deemed fit enough to host international matches.
Also victorious on the road were Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya and Madagascar, while Mali were held to a surprise home draw as Africa's preliminaries for the 2026 World Cup finals continued.
The Ivorians, who will host January's African Cup of Nations, are now top of Group F, level on six points with second-placed Gabon, while Kenya moved into third spot on three points after their 5-0 win over the Seychelles.
That game was hosted in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast with the Seychelles another of the 19 African countries banned from using their home stadia.
Michael Olunga scored twice in the opening six minutes for Kenya, fresh from a two-year FIFA ban, with Masoud Juma adding a third before the break. Rooney Onyango and substitute Benson Omala scored two more in the second half.
Equatorial Guinea captain Emilio Nsue got the winner as the Group H leaders triumphed away to 10-man Liberia, netting after nine minutes.
Guinea Bissau's winner versus Djibouti in their Group A game in Cairo came from Swiss-based striker Mauro Rodrigues, while Madagascar won 3-0 against Chad.
Also in Group I, Mali's Kamory Doumbia scored in the 76th minute to put them ahead at home against the Central African Republic but the lead lasted only two minutes before Geoffrey Kondogbia equalised.
Only the group winners advance to the 2026 finals in Canada, Mexico and the US, with the four best-placed runners-up getting a chance for a berth via two playoff tournaments.
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