A dramatic late goal from substitute Amad Diallo in the 90th minute clinched a 1-0 victory for Côte d’Ivoire against Ecuador in their Group E opener.
Diallo’s expertly placed first-time shot from a Wilfried Singo cross marked the Ivorians’ first World Cup win against a South American team and ended Ecuador’s impressive unbeaten streak of 19 matches.
This victory highlighted the exceptional play of 19-year-old Yan Diomande, as Côte d’Ivoire matched Germany’s points tally after the latter’s dominant 7-1 win over Curacao earlier in the day.
The young Ivorian squad, the youngest at this World Cup, appeared to struggle for ideas until Singo, charging up the right flank, delivered a precise cross that Diallo skillfully directed into the bottom left corner. This goal provided Côte d’Ivoire with a promising start in their first World Cup finals appearance since 2014.
Ecuador’s best opportunities in the first half stemmed from Côte d’Ivoire’s lax defending, with John Yeboah and Alan Minda both hitting the crossbar in the 23rd and 30th minutes, respectively.
Despite this, Côte d’Ivoire maintained better possession, with Diomande proving a constant threat down Ecuador’s left flank. In the 35th minute, he collected the ball at midfield, outpaced Piero Hincapié, and sent a cross towards Nicolas Pépé, whose attempt to adjust for a left-footed shot was thwarted.
Just before halftime, Singo nearly executed a spectacular bicycle kick following a cross from Guéla Doué.
Côte d’Ivoire continued their momentum after the break, yet in the 68th minute, Ecuador’s Gonzalo Plata forced Yahia Fofana into a straightforward save with a well-placed shot.
Prior to that save, Diomande was again in the spotlight. In the 52nd minute, his accurate cross found Elye Wahi, whose first-time shot narrowly missed the crossbar. Shortly after switching to the left side following two substitutions in the 56th minute, Diomande made a dazzling run between Yeboah, Alan Franco, and Moises Caicedo before firing high.
Playing close to an estimated 600,000 Ecuadorian Americans residing in New York and New Jersey, La Tricolor fans were a dominant presence but ultimately left the stadium disappointed.
