The first Manchester United player to score at the 2026 World Cup, Ivory Coast ends a goal drought lasting over a decade.

Manchester United star Amad Diallo emerged as the Ivory Coast national team's hero, netting the solitary goal against Ecuador in a Group E fixture of the 2026 World Cup.

Ivory Coast got off to a strong start in the 2026 World Cup, defeating Ecuador 1-0 in their Group E opener on the morning of June 15. The hero for the African side was Amad Diallo, a Manchester United player, who scored in the 90th minute to secure all three points for Ivory Coast.

For most of the match, both teams were locked in a tight contest with few truly breakthrough moments.

The decisive moment came in the 90th minute. From the right flank, Wilfried Singo drove forward before delivering a well-timed pass to Amad Diallo. The Manchester United midfielder unleashed a clever left-footed shot, beating the Ecuador goalkeeper and scoring the game's only goal. This was Diallo's 7th goal in 20 appearances for the Ivory Coast national team.

Sky Sports journalist Ron Walker commented: "There weren't many moments where a player single-handedly made the difference. Amad will grab the headlines, but credit must go to Singo for his determination to carry the ball about 35 meters before setting him up."

This goal not only secured the win for Ivory Coast but also carried significant meaning. Amad Diallo became the first Manchester United-affiliated player to score at the 2026 World Cup. He also became the first Ivory Coast player to score at a World Cup since Wilfried Bony found the net against Greece on June 24, 2014. Thus, Ivory Coast football had to wait nearly 12 years for another player to get on the scoresheet at the biggest football festival on earth.

Diallo's lone goal gave Ivory Coast a 1-0 victory over Ecuador. This result placed Ivory Coast second in Group E, just behind Germany, who had beaten Curaçao 7-1 a few hours earlier. The win over Ecuador gave Ivory Coast a comfortable mindset ahead of their clash with the "German tanks" next Saturday.

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