Ecuador's Unbeaten Streak Ends with Amad Diallo's Late Winner
Ecuador’s long unbeaten run snapped by Amad Diallo’s late sting
Nineteen games without defeat. Gone in an instant.
Ecuador arrived in this contest carrying the swagger of a side that had forgotten how to lose, with Moisés Caicedo anchoring central midfield and dictating the tempo. For long stretches, they looked every bit the team that had not tasted defeat since September 2024.
They set the tone early. John Yeboah rattled the crossbar with a fierce effort, a warning shot that underlined Ecuador’s intent. Alan Minda then followed suit, also crashing an effort off the bar after a sequence that began with Caicedo at his combative best – a trademark tackle high up the pitch, snapping into the duel and launching the counter that should have brought the opening goal.
Ecuador swarmed, pressed, and probed. The woodwork groaned. The net stayed still.
Ivory Coast, though, never disappeared from the contest. They carried a threat of their own, and as the game opened up after the break, they began to punch back. Early in the second half, Elye Wahi found space and steered a shot that had the goalkeeper beaten but not the frame of the goal, thudding against the bar to restore the balance of frustration.
The match became a test of nerve as much as quality. One side protecting a proud record, the other sensing that a heavyweight scalp was there for the taking. Chances thinned, legs tired, and the clock crept towards 90. A goalless draw felt inevitable, the kind of stalemate both teams could rationalise, if not exactly celebrate.
Then Wilfried Singo tore up the script.
From right-back, he surged down the flank with purpose, brushing past challenges and driving Ivory Coast up the pitch when most players were beginning to glance at the referee’s watch. His low ball found Amad Diallo, who didn’t need a touch to think. One glance, one swing of his boot, and he guided a clever first-time finish into the bottom corner.
A neat, composed strike. A brutal moment for Ecuador.
Diallo’s 90th-minute winner shattered Ecuador’s 19-game unbeaten run and flipped the narrative of the night. For so long, they had looked the likelier scorers; in the end, they walked off knowing how quickly dominance can turn to regret.
There is no time to dwell. Next up is Curacao, fresh from a 7-1 defeat to Germany earlier on Sunday. On paper, it is the perfect fixture for Ecuador to restore confidence and start building a new streak.
On the pitch, they now have to prove that this was a stumble, not the start of a slide.
