Ivory Coast put an end to a long curse
Ivory Coast beat Ecuador 1-0 with a late Amad Diallo goal in the 89th minute, ending a run of three consecutive defeats against South American sides at World Cups.
World Cup
Ivory Coast made history in Philadelphia, claiming a dramatic 1-0 victory over Ecuador thanks to Amad Diallo's 89th-minute winner. The goal ended a painful South American curse — their three previous World Cup matches against CONMEBOL sides had all ended in defeat: 1-2 to Argentina (2006), 1-3 to Brazil (2010), and 1-2 to Colombia (2014).
The win also extended Ivory Coast's record scoring streak to six consecutive World Cup matches, their longest ever run with at least one goal in the tournament's modern era. Ecuador, meanwhile, saw their remarkable 19-match unbeaten run across all competitions come to an end — despite hitting the woodwork three times during the match.
Ivory Coast became only the second African side to win a World Cup match with a goal in the 89th minute or later, following Cameroon against Brazil in 2022. It is also their first World Cup victory in exactly 12 years, since defeating Japan in June 2014.