Diallo Grants Ivory Coast a Dramatic Victory over Ecuador

The Ivory Coast national team began their 2026 World Cup campaign with a valuable 1-0 victory over Ecuador in a match that brought the two teams together in the first round of Group E competitions, earning the "Elephants" their first three points in the tournament.

The match remained evenly matched until the final minutes, before substitute Amad Diallo succeeded in scoring the winning goal in the 90th minute, capitalizing on a precise cross from Wilfried Singo, granting his national team a historic victory, the first for Côte d'Ivoire against a South American team in the World Cup.

The match witnessed a remarkable performance by the young winger Yan Diomande (19 years old), who was the main threat to Ecuador's defense. Meanwhile, Nicolas Pepe and Elye Wahi missed several clear opportunities, while the Ecuadorian team relied on counterattacks and almost scored on more than one occasion.

With this victory, the Ivory Coast team equaled Germany at the top of Group E, with each having three points, after the German team began their campaign with a significant 7-1 win over Curaçao.