Manchester United forward Amad Diallo scored a dramatic 90th-minute winner as Ivory Coast defeated Ecuador 1-0 in their opening Group E match of the World Cup on Sunday.
The encounter appeared destined to end goalless, with both sides struggling to find a breakthrough despite creating several chances. Ecuador came closest in the first half, hitting the crossbar twice through John Yeboah and Alan Minda, while Elye Wahi also rattled the woodwork for Ivory Coast after the break.
With the match heading towards a draw, Wilfried Singo surged forward from defence and delivered a low cross that Diallo converted first time to spark celebrations among the African champions and their supporters.
The victory marks Ivory Coast’s first World Cup win since defeating Japan in 2014 and significantly boosts their hopes of reaching the knockout stage for the first time in their history. Ecuador, meanwhile, will look to recover from the late setback when they face Curacao in their next group match.
