Amad Diallo came off the bench to score in the 90th minute and hand Ivory Coast a dramatic 1-0 victory over Ecuador in their Group E opener at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The result ended Ecuador's remarkable 19-match unbeaten run.
Match Summary
Ecuador dominated large spells and twice struck the crossbar through John Yeboah and Alan Minda in the first half, but could not find the net. Ivory Coast weathered the pressure, and Diallo — on as a 55th-minute substitute — buried a precise sidefoot finish from Wilfried Singo's lung-busting run down the right. (ESPN)
Historical Note
Diallo's strike is the latest winning goal scored by a substitute in a 1-0 World Cup match since Francesco Totti's 94th-minute penalty for Italy vs Australia in 2006. (Opta Analyst)
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