Amad Diallo scored the Ivory Coast's first goal at 90th minute in the World Cup tournament and grabbed precious 3 points.
2026 World Cup
1-0
Match Highlight:
https://www.fifa.com/en/watch/4P79SuyJHO3ZGVuRYxjots
Match Report:
Amad Diallo climbed off the bench to score a late winner, as Ivory Coast snatched a dramatic 1-0 victory over Ecuador in their World Cup opener.
The two sides had generally lacked a cutting edge in the Group E clash at Philadelphia Stadium, though both had been denied by the woodwork, with John Yeboah, Alan Minda and Elye Wahi all striking the crossbar.
But in the 90th minute, Amad brilliantly steered home Wilfried Singoo’s square pass with a first-time finish to inflict Ecuador’s first defeat in 20 matches.
La Tri made the brighter start of the two teams, but it was Ivory Coast who had the first decent opportunities to break the deadlock.
Bazoumana Touré saw a low cross-come-shot tipped around the post by Hernán Galíndez, who then easily gathered Wahi’s tame effort soon after.
Yet the Ivorians were saved by the crossbar twice in the space of seven minutes at the other end, with Yeboah’s sweeping left-footed strike and a first-time Minda shot both rattling the woodwork.
Alan Franco made a superb sliding intervention to thwart Nicolas Pépé in the 35th minute, before the same crossbar was struck seven minutes into the second half, with Wahi denied from Yan Diomande‘s inviting centre.
Ecuador had to wait until midway through the second half for their first attempt on target, as Gonzalo Plata stung Yahia Fofana’s palms with a fierce 20-yard drive.
However, with the contest seemingly petering out towards a stalemate, Singo drove towards the area in the dying moments of regulation time, before his pass was superbly guided into the far corner by Amad.
The two teams’ respective qualifying campaigns suggested it was unlikely the Philadelphia Stadium would witness the sort of goal-fest Germany treated the Houston crowd to in the other Group E clash earlier on Sunday.
Ivory Coast went through the CAF section without conceding a single goal, while Ecuador only let in a CONMEBOL-best tally of five and played out eight goalless draws.
La Tri – fielding a starting XI without any Ecuadorian-based players for the first time in a World Cup match – had Moisés Caicedo available after his proposed one-game suspension was overruled.
The Chelsea man was an imposing figure in the middle of the park as Ecuador looked the more in control of the two sides during the first half.
They went the closest to breaking the deadlock, with both Yeboah and Minda just a couple of inches away from opening their nation’s account at the tournament.
Wahi was also left cursing the woodwork as Ivory Coast improved after the break, while introducing the likes of Amad to add pace to their ranks as the second half wore on.
It eventually paid dividends, with the Manchester United winger scoring a goal that could prove crucial in his nation’s hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time.
Match Events:
2' Missed Attempt, M. Caicedo right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Pass from G. Plata.
16' Shot Saved, S. Fofana right footed shot from outside the box saved.
23' Missed Attempt, J. Yeboah left footed shot from outside the box hits the crossbar
28' Foul conceded by S. Fofana (M. Caicedo wins the free kick).
28' Yellow Card, Yellow card given to S. Fofana for a foul.
35' Shot Blocked, N. Pépé left footed shot from the center of the box blocked by A. Franco.
38' Yellow card given to F. Kessie for a foul.
40' Foul, Yellow card given to G. Doué for a foul.
45'+3' Shot Saved, N. Pépé left footed shot from outside the box saved.
45'+5' End of Half, Ivory Coast 0, Ecuador 0
46' Missed Attempt, E. Valencia left footed shot from the left of the box hits the left post. Pass from G. Plata.
50' Missed Attempt, Y. Diomande left footed shot from the center of the box misses to the left. Pass from S. Fofana.
52' Missed Attempt, E. Wahi right footed shot from the center of the box hits the crossbar. Pass from Y. Diomande.
73' Yellow card given to J. Porozo for a foul.
87' Shot Blocked, J. Ordoñez header from the center of the box blocked by G. Konan.
90' GOAL! A. Diallo scores with left footed shot from the center of the box. Assist from W. Singo.
90'+9' End of Regulation, Ivory Coast 1, Ecuador 0
Line-ups
Côte d'Ivoire XI: S.Fofana, Pepe, Kessie, Ghislain Konan, Yahia Fofana, Elye Wahi, Singo, Emmanuel Agbadou, Guéla Doué, Bazoumana Touré, Yan Diomande
Subs: Seri, Christopher Operi, Sangare, Alban Lafont, N'Dicka, Evann Guessand, Odilon, Amad Diallo Traore, Parfait Guiagon, Ange-Yoan Bonny, Simon Adingra, Mohamed Koné, Oumar Diakité, Ousmane Diomande, Christ Inao Oulaï
Ecuador XI: Hernán Galíndez, Enner Valencia, Alan Franco, John Yeboah, Gonzalo Plata, Hincapie, Pedro Vite, Pacho, Caicedo, Alan Minda, Joel Ordóñez
Subs: Jordy Caicedo, Pervis Estupiñán, Gonzalo Valle, Moisés Ramírez, Angelo Preciado, Félix Torres, Jackson Porozo, Jordy Alcívar, Anthony Valencia, Nilson Angulo, Kevin Rodríguez, Yaimar Medina, Jeremy Arévalo, Kendry Páez, Denil Castillo