World Cup: Ivory Coast beats Ecuador with late strike from Amad Diallo

Late drama secures victory

Ivory Coast opened their World Cup campaign with a dramatic 1-0 win over Ecuador on Saturday night. Substitute Amad Diallo struck in the 90th minute, converting Wilfried Singo's cross with a first-time left-footed shot into the bottom corner.

The victory marked Ivory Coast's first-ever World Cup win against a South American opponent and ended Ecuador's 19-match unbeaten run across all competitions.

Diomande impresses

Ivory Coast's 19-year-old forward Yan Diomande was a constant threat throughout the match, particularly on the left flank. In the 35th minute, he created a chance for Nicolas Pepe, whose shot was blocked. Midway through the second half, Diomande set up Elye Wahi, but the striker's effort hit the crossbar.

Ecuador had their own chances in the first half, with John Yeboah and Alan Minda both hitting the crossbar in the 23rd and 30th minutes respectively. After the break, Gonzalo Plata forced a comfortable save from Ivory Coast goalkeeper Yahia Fofana.

Context

Ivory Coast, the youngest squad at the tournament, last appeared at a World Cup in 2014. They now share Group E's top spot with Germany, who thrashed Curacao 7-1 earlier on Sunday.

The match was played in front of a heavily pro-Ecuador crowd, as the stadium is located near the New York/New Jersey area, home to over 600,000 Ecuadorian Americans.