Brought on with an hour gone, Manchester United’s Amad Diallo unleashed the decisive blow in the 90th minute (1-0) on Sunday in Philadelphia. After a tense, finely balanced contest that rattled the crossbar three times, the Elephants launch their World Cup in style and share top spot in Group E with Germany.
Only seconds of normal time remained when everything tilted. Fed by Wilfried Singo at the edge of the box, Amad Diallo curled a slightly deflected left-footed effort beyond Hernan Galindez. The Ivorian bench leapt to its feet as one: at 23, the Manchester United forward, on the pitch for barely half an hour, had handed his side a winning start to the tournament (90th).
Yet nothing about the script felt preordained. In front of 68,274 fans packed into a near-full Lumen Stadium and overwhelmingly behind the South Americans, Ecuador long held both the ball and the upper hand. Around the half-hour mark, La Tri thought they had cracked the lock: John Yeboah (23rd) and then Alan Minda (30th) each smashed the Ivorian crossbar. Two warnings that went unpunished — and that may yet weigh heavily in the goal-difference column.
An Ecuadorian defense that wobbled on the right
Rock-solid through the middle with the Willian Pacho–Joel Ordonez pairing, just as they had been throughout a qualifying campaign sealed in an impressive second place, Ecuador nonetheless showed cracks down their right flank. Repeatedly beaten for pace, Piero Hincapié opened gaps the Elephants eventually exploited. As for the team sheets, Argentine coach Sebastian Beccacece left AC Milan’s Pervis Estupinan on the bench; opposite him, Emerse Faé opted to start winger Bazoumana Touré, holding Diallo back for an impact role.
Outplayed in midfield through the first half, the Ivorians stirred to life just before the break. Within a few minutes, Touré burst down the left for Elye Wahi, only for Galindez to gather (45th), before a scrappy scramble saw Singo fluff an overhead kick and Nicolas Pépé inadvertently strike his own teammate (45th+4).
That awakening carried into the restart. Sent through by Séko Fofana, Wahi first dragged a shot narrowly over, then, on a pass from Yan Diomandé — named man of the match — rattled the woodwork himself (51st). The third time the bar had been struck all evening. Moments later, Faé played his ace, introducing Diallo while resting Wahi and Touré.
Yahia Fofana stands tall, Diallo delivers
Ecuador, less incisive after the break, refused to fold: Gonzalo Plata let fly with a fierce drive that Yahia Fofana turned away (68th). But the final say belonged to the Elephants. After one last save from the Ecuadorian keeper on yet another Diallo attempt (90th+4), the verdict had already been sealed.
Ivory Coast are now ideally placed in their fourth World Cup, following 2006, 2010 and 2014 — and crucially in pole position to chase a first-ever round-of-16 berth in their history. They share top spot in Group E with a ruthless Germany, who thrashed debutants Curaçao (7-1) earlier in the day. Up next, and a daunting one at that: the Mannschaft, on June 20 in Toronto. Ecuador, meanwhile, head to Kansas City to tend to their goal difference against Curaçao.
source @afp
