Ivory Coast 1-0 Ecuador - Amad Diallo nets 90th-minute winner
3/17/20261 min read
Amad Diallo came off the bench to net a 90th-minute goal to get Ivory Coast's World Cup off to the perfect start with a 1-0 win over Ecuador in Group E.
The forward was a surprise absentee from Emerse Fae's starting line-up but channeled any frustration in the best way possible after replacing Bazoumana Toure 10 minutes into the second half, sidefooting the winner smartly beyond Hernan Galindez after a lung-busting run from Wilfried Singo down the right flank.
It provided Ecuador with a painful start to their World Cup campaign and ended their 19-game unbeaten streak, which looked well intact in an opening half-hour where they twice struck the crossbar through John Yeboah and Alan Minda, defying their pre-match expectations by dominating the early exchanges with and without the ball.
They never got back to those early heights and increasingly appeared at the mercy of Ivory Coast during the brief moments the 2023 AFCON champions clicked - with Yan Diomande lively almost throughout but with his end product often lacking.
Elye Wahi struck the crossbar for Fae's side in the second half before the introduction of Amad and Ange-Yoan Bonny breathed new life into them, but it would take until the final minute of normal time for it to count when the Man Utd winger sparked wild celebrations among the entire squad 12 years to the day since their last World Cup win.
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🇬🇠Inaki Williams Announces Retirement from Ghana National Team
Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams, one of the standout attackers for the Black Stars of Ghana, has officially announced his retirement from international football.
The Spanish-born Ghanaian shared the news on his X (formerly Twitter) page on Friday afternoon, September 11, 2026, stating that his journey with the national team has come to an end after giving his all.
“I feel the time has come to bring my journey with the Ghana national team to an end. I leave happy, proud, and at peace knowing that I gave everything each time I wore this shirt,” Inaki wrote.
Williams featured for Ghana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the team exited the tournament after a 1–0 defeat to Colombia, despite strong performances against Panama and England in the group stage, keeping two clean sheets.
He first committed to representing Ghana in 2022, ahead of the Qatar World Cup, after initially hoping to play for Spain.
“Ghana has given me so much—more than football. It allowed me to reconnect with my roots, feel closer to home, and experience the immense pride of representing my country and wearing this flag on my chest,” he added.
Inaki assured fans that he will continue to support Ghanaian football and the Black Stars even after his retirement.
Before switching allegiance, Williams received his first international call-up for Spain’s U-21 team in March 2015, but never made a competitive appearance for Spain’s senior side.
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