Cote d’Ivoire 1-0 Ecuador - World Cup result as Amad Diallo clinches critical three points with 90th-minute winner

Amad Diallo struck a 90th-minute winner to clinch a seesaw Group E match against Ecuador and leave Cote d’Ivoire with one foot already in the World Cup Round of 32.

In a game that was high on entertainment if not on quality, featuring 26 shots but only five on target, Amad provided the moment of composure in the final third that Ecuador lacked all game when he finessed a first-touch finish into the opposite corner following a marauding run up the right from Wilfried Singo.

It was a kick in the teeth for Ecuador who saw their 19-game unbeaten run come to an end having hit the crossbar twice in the first half, though La Tri found themselves on the back foot for much of an intriguing second half.

Each side looked to bypass the midfield in a frantic first half that produced golden opportunities for both teams, with John Yeboach and Alan Minda hitting the woodwork while at the other end of the pitch, Nicolas Pepe and Bazoumana Toure were denied by a last-ditch block and a fingertip save respectively.

Yan Diomande - who’s expected to join one of Europe’s biggest clubs from RB Leipzig this summer - caused a famously miserly Ecuadorian defence all sorts of problems especially after switching to the left flank to accommodate substitute Amad but the youngster lacked the end product to really punish La Tri.

Instead, the most high-profile player on the pitch was the calmest man in Philadelphia Stadium when it mattered, with centre-back Singo charging into acres of space on the right flank then picking out Amad with a perfectly weighted pass for the Red Devil to turn home.

So Cote d’Ivoire only need to pick up a point against Curacao, who looked every bit the 82nd-ranked team in the world in their 7-1 loss to Germany, in their final group game to be all but assured of advancing to the knockout round for the first time in their history.

Meanwhile with third-place qualification making goal difference more important than ever at the World Cup, Ecuador must now rack up the goals against the Caribbean team and produce the performance of their lives against Germany to give themselves the best shot of joining The Elephants in the Round of 32.

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Germany and Cote d'Ivoire already look as good as qualified for the Round of 32 with their wins today, while Ecuador are far from out but need to two big performances now.

1. Germany, 3 points (+6 goal difference)

2. Cote d'Ivoire, 3 (+1)

3. Ecuador, 0 (-1)

4. Curacao, 0 (-6)

Once again The Elephants get their head to the ball first from a set-piece, the referee blows his whistle and that is full time!

It's met by absolute silence in the stadium that's packed with yellow shirts, yet Cote d'Ivoire have taken a huge step towards the knockouts with that victory.

Ecuador win another corner, this is it...

The corner is cleared to Amad who lumps the ball forward for Diomande to chase.

The winger was hampered by a bounce that allowed Preciado to catch up but the Ecuadorian almost fudged things up when he dribbled the ball past his own keeper and had to slide to prevent a corner.

Given Amad scored on the stroke of 90 minutes, there are probably another couple of minutes left for La Tri, but no more.

That's better! La Tri swing a ball in that Singo heads behind, Caicedo's delivery needs to be inch-perfect.

Ecuador can't get a foothold in Cote d'Ivoire territory and in fact it's Amad who takes the first shot since the goal, a weak effort from distance.

Can Ecuador respond?

Singo storms up the right flank as acres of space suddenly open up in the usually tight Ecuador defence, and the centre-back then feeds Amad.

And in a game that's lacked quality in front of goal on so many occcasions, the Man United man produces a fabulously delicate finish to spark wild celebrations from The Elephants!

He;s done well to walk the tightrope, of spending over half the game on a yellow card, Atalanta's Odilon Kossounou replaces Doue at full-back.

A cross crashes off the head of Konan and it's a huge opportunity... that's easily cleared by Singo.

He's been covered well by Ordonez since Porozo's introduction, but he wriggles past the defender and then takes three more Ecuadorians out of the game before slipping the ball to Ghislain Konan.

The full-back couldn't get a shot off before Ordonez recovered to shut down the danger, but it's cost the defender.

This game was rocking just before the drinks break but 10 minutes after it was called, there's little intensity in the contest.

Enner Valencia is off after a frustrating day leading the line for Ecuador, replaced by Union Saint-Giloise's Kevin Rodriguez.

Meanwhile Fae has introduced Christ Inao Oulai and Tricky Tree Ibrahim Sangare for Pepe and Seko Fofana.

Bonny has proved a handful for the Ecuadorian defence since his introduction and created more trouble just then, though he could never get the ball under control.

And Ecuador immediately win a corner. Plata will take it... but it's easily headed clear.

Preciado has been a breath of fresh air on the right flank and taken over as Ecuador's outlet.

His pass reaches Plata in space, who smashes a well-hit half-volley that swirls towards Yahia Fofana but the goalie reads it well enough to get two strong hands to the ball and send it away from danger.

That woke the game up from a mini-lull, so naturally we must now lose all that momentum for another drinks break. It is comfortably below 30 degrees Celsius in Philadelphia.

Beccacece is furious on the sideline as his changes are delayed due to an issue with the fourth official's board.

Yet the tech finally works, meaning Jackson Porozo can replace Franco, allowing Ordonez to move to right-back and counter the threat of Diomande. And Angelo Preciado is on for Yeboah.

Cote d'Ivoire have been much the stronger team in the second half, but for all their dominance they've not worked Galindez too much.

Until now, when Fofana (who's shooting every time he gets within 30 yards of goal) curls an effort through a sea of bodies that deflects into Galindez's arms.

That could've been deadly if it had taken a different touch.