馃嚦馃嚘NamibiaSouthern Africa
Ivory Coast defeats Ecuador 1-0 in World Cup opener with late Amad Diallo goal
via The Namibian3 min read
Amad Diallo scored in the 90th minute, securing a 1-0 victory for Ivory Coast over Ecuador in their World Cup Group E opener. The match, held in Philadelphia, saw Diallo, 23, come on as a substitute for Bazoumana Toure before the hour mark and score from a right-wing cross. This marks Ivory Coast's first World Cup win in 12 years, boosting their chances of reaching the knockout phase for the first time. Ecuador, despite having strong support in the stadium and hitting the bar twice in the first half through John Yeboah and Alan Minda, started their campaign with a loss. Ivory Coast, the 2024 African champions, will next face Germany in Toronto, while Ecuador will play Curacao in Kansas City. The game was attended by US rap mogul Jay-Z and featured several close calls, including Elye Wahi hitting the crossbar for Ivory Coast. Ecuador, coached by Sebastian Beccacece, had a notable defensive record in South American qualifying, conceding only five goals in 18 games.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
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