FIFA 2026 World Cup: Amad Diallo’s late strike gives Ivory Coast a winning start
Manchester United winger Amad Diallo came off the bench to score a dramatic 90th-minute winner as Ivory Coast kicked off their FIFA 2026 World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ecuador in Group E.
Manchester United winger Amad Diallo came off the bench to score a dramatic 90th-minute winner as Ivory Coast kicked off their FIFA 2026 World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ecuador in Group E.
The Elephants appeared destined for a frustrating draw before Diallo, who was surprisingly left out of Emerse Fae’s starting lineup, made a decisive impact after being introduced in the 56th minute.
The 23-year-old calmly side-footed home from inside the penalty area after a powerful run and precise delivery from Wilfried Singo down the right flank, sealing all three points for the African champions.
“We came here to make history,” Diallo said after the match. “We still have two more matches ahead of us, and we need to approach them with the same mentality and try to win them.”
The result marked a dream start for Ivory Coast in their first World Cup appearance since 2014, while Ecuador suffered a painful defeat that ended their impressive 19-match unbeaten run.
Despite the result, Ecuador were the better side during much of the opening half and came agonisingly close to taking the lead on several occasions. John Yeboah and Alan Minda both struck the crossbar as the South Americans dominated possession and created the clearer chances.
Ivory Coast also threatened, with Elye Wahi rattling the woodwork shortly after the restart as both teams continued to search for a breakthrough.
The match produced a series of near misses, with the woodwork denying both sides three times before Diallo finally broke the deadlock in the closing stages.
Singo’s surging run down the right wing created the opening, and the Manchester United star made no mistake, firing a left-footed effort beyond diving goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez to spark wild celebrations among the Ivorian supporters.
The victory represents an important step toward Ivory Coast’s ambition of reaching the World Cup knockout stages for the first time in its history.
For Ecuador, the defeat was particularly disappointing given their impressive form heading into the tournament. It was their first loss since a 1-0 defeat to Brazil on September 6, 2024.
Ivory Coast will next face Germany at BMO Field in Toronto on June 20 in what promises to be a crucial Group E encounter. Ecuador, meanwhile, will look to bounce back against Curaçao at Kansas City Stadium on June 21.
