Ivory Coast's forward Yan Diomande kicks the ball past Ecuador's defender Piero Hincapie during the 2026 World Cup Group E football match between Ivory Coast and Ecuador at the Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia on June 14, 2026.
Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande said his team haven't come to the Fifa World Cup simply to make up the numbers after they struck late to beat Ecuador 1-0 in their opening match on Sunday.
Diomande was a lively presence in attack for Ivory Coast in Philadelphia, where Manchester United's Amad Diallo scored a 90th-minute winner after coming off the bench.
"It's always great to start with a win to help with the confidence," said Diomande, who has attracted interest from a number of Europe's top clubs after an excellent season with RB Leipzig.
"We know Ecuador is a big team. We had to be patient and wait for our opportunity and we got the goal."
