ShareIvory Coast and Ecuador looked set for a point apiece in their Group E opener at the 2026 World Cup, but substitute Amad had other ideas.Amad climbed off the bench to score a late winner, as Ivory Coast snatched a dramatic 1-0 victory over Ecuador in their World Cup opener.The two sides had generally lacked a cutting edge in the Group E clash at Philadelphia Stadium, though both had been denied by the woodwork, with John Yeboah, Alan Minda and Elye Wahi all striking the crossbar.But in the 90th minute, Amad brilliantly steered home Wilfried Singo's square pass with a first-time finish to inflict Ecuador's first defeat in 20 matches.La Tri made the brighter start of the two teams, but it was Ivory Coast who had the first decent opportunities to break the deadlock.Bazoumana Toure saw a low cross-come-shot tipped around the post by Hernan Galindez, who then easily gathered Wahi's tame effort soon after.Yet the Ivorians were saved by the crossbar twice in the space of seven minutes at the other end, with Yeboah's sweeping left-footed strike and a first-time Minda shot both rattling the woodwork.Alan Franco made a superb sliding intervention to thwart Nicolas Pepe in the 35th minute, before the same crossbar was struck seven minutes into the second half, with Wahi denied from Yan Diomande's inviting centre.Ecuador had to wait until midway through the second half for their first attempt on target, as Gonzalo Plata stung Yahia Fofana's palms with a fierce 20-yard drive.However, with the contest seemingly petering out towards a stalemate, Singo drove towards the area in the dying moments of regulation time, before his pass was superbly guided into the far corner by Amad.In South Philadelphia, the bar was grazed before Amad played the starring roleThe two teams' respective qualifying campaigns suggested it was unlikely the Philadelphia Stadium would witness the sort of goal-fest Germany treated the Houston crowd to in the other Group E clash earlier on Sunday. Ivory Coast went through the CAF section without conceding a single goal, while Ecuador only let in a CONMEBOL-best tally of five and played out eight goalless draws.La Tri – fielding a starting XI without any Ecuadorian-based players for the first time in a World Cup match – had Moises Caicedo available after his proposed one-game suspension was overruled.The Chelsea man was an imposing figure in the middle of the park as Ecuador looked the more in control of the two sides during the first half.They went the closest to breaking the deadlock, with both Yeboah and Minda just a couple of inches away from opening their nation's account at the tournament.Wahi was also left cursing the woodwork as Ivory Coast improved after the break, while introducing the likes of Amad to add pace to their ranks as the second half wore on.It eventually paid dividends, with the Manchester United winger scoring a goal that could prove crucial in his nation's hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time.Ivory Coast and Ecuador looked set for a point apiece in their Group E opener at the 2026 World Cup, but substitute Amad had other ideas.Amad climbed off the bench to score a late winner, as Ivory Coast snatched a dramatic 1-0 victory over Ecuador in their World Cup opener.The two sides had generally lacked a cutting edge in the Group E clash at Philadelphia Stadium, though both had been denied by the woodwork, with John Yeboah, Alan Minda and Elye Wahi all striking the crossbar.But in the 90th minute, Amad brilliantly steered home Wilfried Singo's square pass with a first-time finish to inflict Ecuador's first defeat in 20 matches.La Tri made the brighter start of the two teams, but it was Ivory Coast who had the first decent opportunities to break the deadlock.Bazoumana Toure saw a low cross-come-shot tipped around the post by Hernan Galindez, who then easily gathered Wahi's tame effort soon after.Yet the Ivorians were saved by the crossbar twice in the space of seven minutes at the other end, with Yeboah's sweeping left-footed strike and a first-time Minda shot both rattling the woodwork.Alan Franco made a superb sliding intervention to thwart Nicolas Pepe in the 35th minute, before the same crossbar was struck seven minutes into the second half, with Wahi denied from Yan Diomande's inviting centre.Ecuador had to wait until midway through the second half for their first attempt on target, as Gonzalo Plata stung Yahia Fofana's palms with a fierce 20-yard drive.However, with the contest seemingly petering out towards a stalemate, Singo drove towards the area in the dying moments of regulation time, before his pass was superbly guided into the far corner by Amad.In South Philadelphia, the bar was grazed before Amad played the starring roleThe two teams' respective qualifying campaigns suggested it was unlikely the Philadelphia Stadium would witness the sort of goal-fest Germany treated the Houston crowd to in the other Group E clash earlier on Sunday. Ivory Coast went through the CAF section without conceding a single goal, while Ecuador only let in a CONMEBOL-best tally of five and played out eight goalless draws.La Tri – fielding a starting XI without any Ecuadorian-based players for the first time in a World Cup match – had Moises Caicedo available after his proposed one-game suspension was overruled.The Chelsea man was an imposing figure in the middle of the park as Ecuador looked the more in control of the two sides during the first half.They went the closest to breaking the deadlock, with both Yeboah and Minda just a couple of inches away from opening their nation's account at the tournament.Wahi was also left cursing the woodwork as Ivory Coast improved after the break, while introducing the likes of Amad to add pace to their ranks as the second half wore on.It eventually paid dividends, with the Manchester United winger scoring a goal that could prove crucial in his nation's hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time.