Amad’s Last-Gasp Heroics Lift Ivory Coast Past Ecuador in World Cup Thriller

By Lilibeth Rendon

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania — Just when it seemed destined to end scoreless, Amad Diallo delivered a moment of brilliance in the 90th minute to give Ivory Coast a dramatic 1-0 victory over Ecuador in a fiercely contested Group E opener at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In a match filled with missed chances, rattled crossbars, and outstanding defensive performances, it was the Manchester United winger who provided the decisive breakthrough, sending the Elephants to the top of the group alongside Germany.

The contest was evenly matched from the opening whistle, with Ecuador enjoying strong support inside Philadelphia Stadium and creating some of the game's best early opportunities.

La Tri came painfully close to opening the scoring in the 23rd minute when John Yeboah capitalized on a defensive mistake before unleashing a curling effort that crashed against the crossbar. The woodwork denied Ecuador again just minutes later as Alan Minda latched onto a perfectly weighted pass from Pedro Vite, only to see his first-time strike strike the bar for a second time.

Ivory Coast gradually grew into the match and responded with dangerous attacks of their own. Franck Kessié and Bazoumana Touré repeatedly found space in transition, while Nicolas Pépé and Yan Diomande kept Ecuador's back line under pressure throughout the first half.

Despite the chances at both ends, neither side could find the breakthrough before halftime.

The second half continued at the same frantic pace.

Ivory Coast nearly grabbed the lead in the 52nd minute when Elye Wahi beat his marker at the near post and fired an effort off the crossbar, making it the third time the woodwork had denied a goal in the match.

Ecuador continued to threaten through Moisés Caicedo, Gonzalo Plata, and veteran captain Enner Valencia, while Ivory Coast found renewed energy following the introduction of Amad and Ange-Yoan Bonny midway through the second half.

As the match entered its final stages, both teams appeared increasingly willing to settle for a point. However, Emerse Faé's side had other ideas.

In the 90th minute, defender Wilfried Singo surged forward from the back and exploited space down the right flank. His perfectly weighted cutback found Amad waiting just outside the penalty area. The winger calmly opened his body and curled a precise left-footed finish into the bottom corner beyond Hernán Galíndez, igniting wild celebrations among the Ivorian players and supporters.

The late goal was a cruel blow for Ecuador, who had come within inches of scoring on multiple occasions and looked capable of earning at least a point from the encounter.

La Tri threw everything forward during seven minutes of stoppage time, including one final corner deep into added time, but Ivory Coast's defense held firm to preserve the victory.

The result gives the African champions a crucial three points to begin their World Cup campaign and places them in a strong position heading into their next group-stage match. Ecuador, meanwhile, will be left wondering what might have been after striking the woodwork twice and creating several dangerous opportunities without finding the back of the net.

In a group that also features Germany, Amad's late winner could prove to be one of the most significant moments of the opening round as Ivory Coast takes an early step toward the knockout stage.