Manchester United winger Amad Diallo came off the bench to score a stunning late winner as Ivory Coast defeated Ecuador 1-0 in their opening 2026 FIFA World Cup match.
The decisive moment arrived in the 90th minute when Amad calmly curled the ball into the corner after a powerful run from Wilfried Singo, ending Ecuador’s impressive 19-match unbeaten streak.
Despite being left out of the starting lineup, Amad made an immediate impact after his introduction, delivering a crucial victory that significantly boosts Ivory Coast’s hopes of reaching the World Cup knockout stages for the first time in their history.
Ecuador came close on several occasions, hitting the woodwork three times through John Yeboah, Alan Minda and veteran striker Enner Valencia. However, they were unable to find a way past Ivorian goalkeeper Yahia Fofana.
Ivory Coast also threatened, with Elye Wahi striking the crossbar early in the second half, before Amad eventually broke the deadlock in dramatic fashion.
The goal continues the winger’s strong form for his national team after a difficult second half of the season at Manchester United. He had also scored the winner in Ivory Coast’s pre-World Cup friendly victory over France earlier this month.
The result puts Ivory Coast in a strong position in Group E, which also includes Germany and Curacao. Another victory in their next match could secure a historic place in the knockout rounds.
“We came here to make history,” Amad 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.”
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