Diallo strikes late as Ivory Coast stun Ecuador at World Cup

PHILADELPHIA, JUNE 15: Manchester United's Amad Diallo struck in the 90th minute as Ivory Coast stunned Ecuador and their huge support to edge a tight affair 1-0 in their World Cup opener on Sunday.

The Group E encounter had looked set to finish 0-0, hardly a surprise given Ecuador's incredible defensive record during qualifying, and that result may well have suited both teams.

But the 23-year-old Diallo, who had been introduced in place of Bazoumana Toure shortly before the hour mark, had other ideas as he finished first-time from a right-wing cross right just as the game was heading for injury time.

It is Ivory Coast's first win at a World Cup in exactly 12 years, since they beat Japan in Brazil in 2014, and they can now be confident of making the knockout phase at the tournament for the first time.

It was a disappointing way to start for Ecuador, who had the majority of the 68,274 crowd at the packed Philadelphia stadium kitted out in yellow and backing them.    �"AFP