Manchester United winger Amad Diallo scored a superb 90th-minute winner as the Ivory Coast beat Ecuador in Philadelphia.
It was a stunning finish as the substitute opened his left foot to divert the ball into the corner after a powerful run from Wilfried Singo – and it ended a 19-game unbeaten run stretching for almost two years for Ecuador.
Amad was a surprise exclusion from the Ivory Coast’s starting line-up on their return to the World Cup after 12 years.
But he made a major impact with the winner, giving them a huge chance to qualify from Group E, which also includes Germany and Curacao, and reach the knockout stages for the first time in their history.
Ecuador hit the woodwork three times but could not find a breakthrough as John Yeboah and Alan Minda struck the bar in the first half.
Veteran striker Enner Valencia then hit the post from a tight angle in the second half for the South American side.
It was an even game, though Ecuador did not have a shot on target until the 68th minute when Gonzalo Plata forced Ivorian keeper Yahia Fofana into a save.
Ivory Coast also hit the woodwork when Nice forward Elye Wahi shot against the bar early in the second half.
It looked like Ecuador, which had previously kept 12 clean sheets in 19 games under manager Sebastian Beccacece, had done enough to stifle the Ivory Coast’s attack, including star man Yan Diomande, until Amad found the winner.
Amad shows his best for his country
It was a difficult second half of the season for Amad at Old Trafford, but he has found form for his country on the biggest stage.
The Manchester United winger appeared to be suffering a hangover from the Africa Cup of Nations, where he scored three goals in December and January for the Ivory Coast.
But his last goal for his club came before that in December in a 4-4 Premier League draw with Bournemouth, despite Michael Carrick’s side rising up the table and finishing third to qualify for the Champions League.
Yet since joining up with his country again, he is back to his goalscoring ways, with this winner following his decider in a 2-1 victory in their final warm-up game against back-to-back World Cup finalists France earlier this month.
With a lot of focus on the highly coveted Diomande, it was Amad who broke the deadlock on a huge night for his country after coming off the bench.
They face Germany next and then Curacao, knowing that another win will secure them a place in the knockout stages for the first time in their history on the fourth attempt, while a draw is almost certain to be enough to reach the last 32.
“We came here to make history,” said Amad. “We still have two more matches ahead of us, and we need to approach them with the same mentality and try to win them.”
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