Amad Diallo’s late strike sends Ivory Coast past Ecuador on their World Cup return

Ivory Coast waited twelve years to play at a World Cup again, and Amad Diallo made sure the wait ended in celebration. The Manchester United winger struck in the 90th minute to settle a tight, physical Group E opener in Philadelphia on June 14, handing the Elephants a 1-0 win over Ecuador and the perfect start to their return to the global stage.

For a game that had threatened to finish goalless, the winner was worth the wait. Wilfried Singo burst clear down the right and pulled the ball back into the box, and Diallo met it first time with his left foot, beating goalkeeper Hernan Galindez from just inside the area. It was a striker’s finish from a winger, and it sent the Ivorian end into raptures.

A tight contest that swung late

Neither side could find a way through for most of the evening. Ecuador had slightly the better of possession, edging it 52 to 48 per cent, and looked comfortable in the early exchanges. Ivory Coast carried the bigger threat in front of goal, though, finishing with 15 shots to 12 and four on target to Ecuador’s single effort.

It was that kind of match. The woodwork was struck three times across the ninety minutes, the sort of detail that usually points to a draw rather than a winner. Ecuador will feel they did enough to take a point home, but they could not turn their territory into clear chances, and the one moment of real quality fell to the team in orange.

A statement start in Group E

The result lifts Ivory Coast alongside Germany, who opened with a 7-1 rout of Curaçao, as both sides made winning starts in Group E. Ivory Coast sit behind on goal difference after that German blitz, but three points from a first match is exactly what a side carrying their kind of expectation needed. It was also their first win in a World Cup opener since they beat Japan in 2014, and only the fourth World Cup victory in their history.

This is a squad many tipped as one of Africa’s strongest hopes at the tournament, and they arrived in form, having beaten France in a warm-up earlier this month. A nervy, hard-earned opening win was not quite the statement that result hinted at, but three points are three points, and it buys them time and confidence as the group unfolds. For Ecuador, the task is now to respond before their group slips away.

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