PHILADELPHIA, United States, June 15 — Amad Diallo scored a 90th-minute winner to give Cote d’Ivoire a 1-0 victory over Ecuador in a FIFA World Cup Group E match on Sunday.
In their first-ever meeting in an international competition, both sides created plenty of chances. Ecuador struck the woodwork three times, while Cote d’Ivoire also hit the crossbar, but neither team could find a breakthrough despite combining for 27 shots until Diallo’s late strike. The Manchester United winger was making his World Cup debut and marked the occasion with the decisive goal. Ecuador, ranked 23rd in the world, qualified for its fifth World Cup after finishing second behind Argentina in South American qualifying, while Cote d’Ivoire, the Africa Cup of Nations champion in 2024, arrived at the tournament ranked 33rd. Earlier in the day, four-time champion Germany thrashed debutant Curacao 7-1 in the other match of the group. Cote d’Ivoire will face Germany on June 20, while Ecuador will take on Curacao.
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