Amad Diallo settled it in the 90th minute, and Elfenbenskusten left Philadelphia with a 1-0 win over Ecuador. Wilfried Singo drove the move down the right before Diallo finished the match’s only goal.
That matters now because the same World Cup build-up is already shifting toward Sweden’s opening test against Tunisien, where Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak are set to start up front. In a group that also includes Nederländerna and Japan, every result carries more weight than the scoreline alone.
The first half was open and lively, but Ecuador could not turn its best moments into a goal. John Yeboah hit the woodwork, Alan Minda came close to opening the scoring, and Ecuador struck the frame twice before the break. Yahia Fofana kept his goal intact in the first half, while Elfenbenskusten stayed level at 0-0 despite the pressure.
After the interval, the balance shifted. Elfenbenskusten looked much stronger, Elye Wahi hit the bar, and Yan Diomande was described as the best player on the pitch at 19 years old. Ecuador had chances, but the match turned on efficiency: two early blows against the woodwork counted for nothing, and one late run from Diallo decided everything.
For Sweden, the lesson is plain. Tunisia are known for a strong defensive shape, so the space Gyökeres and Isak find, or do not find, will shape the opening night. Graham Potter took over as Swedish coach in the autumn after World Cup qualifying was already gone, and Sweden reached the tournament through March playoff wins. That makes the first match against Tunisien less of a formality than a test of whether Sweden can make its attack count when chances are scarce.
The value of Elfenbenskusten’s win is not just the three points on the board. It is the reminder that in this kind of tournament football, a side can control enough of the game to hit the woodwork twice and still walk away empty-handed if the decisive finish arrives on the other end.
