Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Manchester United winger Amad Diallo came off the bench to score a dramatic 90th-minute winner as Ivory Coast stunned Ecuador 1-0 in their opening match of the World Cup, ending the South Americans’ nearly two-year unbeaten run and boosting the Elephants’ hopes of reaching the knockout stages for the first time.
In a contest packed with missed chances and near misses, the breakthrough finally arrived when Wilfried Singo surged forward on a powerful run before finding Amad inside the penalty area. The substitute calmly opened his body and guided a precise left-footed finish into the corner, sending Ivorian fans into celebration and handing Ecuador their first defeat in 19 matches.
The result marks a dream start for Ivory Coast on their return to the World Cup after a 12-year absence. Drawn alongside Germany and Curacao in Group E, the African side now finds itself in a strong position to challenge for a place in the knockout rounds, something it has never achieved in three previous appearances at the tournament.
Ecuador entered the match carrying an impressive defensive record under coach Sebastian Beccacece, having kept 12 clean sheets in their previous 19 games. They came close to extending that run early on, but struggled to convert several promising opportunities.
John Yeboah and Alan Minda both rattled the crossbar in the first half as Ecuador threatened without finding a breakthrough. Veteran striker Enner Valencia then struck the post from a difficult angle after the break, summing up a frustrating evening for the South American side.
Ivory Coast also had reasons to feel unlucky before eventually finding the winner. Nice forward Elye Wahi crashed an effort against the crossbar early in the second half as both teams traded chances in a tightly contested encounter.
Despite Ecuador’s attacking intent, they failed to register a shot on target until the 68th minute, when Gonzalo Plata finally forced goalkeeper Yahia Fofana into action. The Ivorian goalkeeper remained composed throughout and preserved the clean sheet when called upon.
The spotlight before kickoff had largely focused on highly rated winger Yan Diomande, but it was Amad who once again emerged as the decisive figure. The Manchester United player was surprisingly left out of the starting lineup but made an immediate impact after entering the match.
Amad’s goal continued an impressive run of form with the national team. Earlier this month, he also scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory over France during Ivory Coast’s final World Cup warm-up match.
While his club campaign ended quietly despite Manchester United securing Champions League qualification, the winger appears determined to make this World Cup his stage.
“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.”
Ivory Coast now faces its toughest challenge in the group when it takes on Germany, knowing another victory would secure a historic place in the knockout rounds. Ecuador, meanwhile, must regroup quickly ahead of its crucial meeting with Curacao as it looks to keep its World Cup campaign alive.
