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1 hour ago
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Key events
Standings
Germany 3 pts, +6 GD
Côte d’Ivoire 3 pts, +1
Ecuador 0 pts., -1
Curacao 0 pts., -6
This loss puts a serious dent in Ecuador’s chances. They might get through with three points, but they’ll have to run up their goal difference to do so. A draw with Germany would certainly help.
And on that note, may I direct you to Jonathan Howcroft’s coverage of Sweden vs. Tunisia?
I’ll be back later in the week. Thanks as always for the kind and witty emails.
Stats
Ecuador had 12 shots but only one on target – though they did put two off the woodwork. Côte d’Ivoire had 15 shots, four on target.
The South American side had the edge in passing, completing 441 to the Ivorians’ 408.
Postgame mailbag:
Kári Tulinius: “You asked, ‘do you see either of these teams beating Germany?’ Honestly, yes I do. I don’t think they necessarily will, but they could.”
Côte d’Ivoire have followed up 10 straight clean sheets in qualifying with one in the Cup proper, but they gave up a few chances that Ecuador squandered. I’d have to think Germany gets a couple of goals.
Final: Côte d’Ivoire 1-0 Ecuador
A game that could’ve gone either way, but it’s a fair result in the end, as the African side put together the better attacks in the second half. Barring a disaster against Curacao, they should be headed to the knockout rounds.
We’re getting inconclusive signaling from the ref here. Foul? VAR check? Game over? It’s the latter.
The ball is out for a corner, and Fofana furiously gestures at his wrist as if to remind the referee that wristwatches exist.
Very high shot from Côte d’Ivoire – surely the last chance now for Ecuador.
90 min +7 Fofana punches clear, the Ivorians break away, and Diamonde nearly wins the ball with an empty net gaping.
But the game is still surprisingly open, and Ecuador nearly find space on the counter.
90 min +6 Caicedo takes his time getting ready for this corner, as if assuming this is the last chance. There’ll be at least one more, because it’s headed out for another corner.
90 min +5 Now Ecuador have possession, and that’s not a bad cross deflected out for a corner.
90 min +4 There’s “direct” and “aimlessly hoofing the ball up the field,” and Ecuador have resorted to the latter.
It’s a shot the other way from Diallo, rather tame but forcing a save.
90 min +3 Ecuador seem stunned and discombobulated. They nearly have two players going up for the same header.
Six minutes of stoppage time signaled … or is it seven? We literally saw two different numbers on the screen. Seven seems more likely, given the celebration of the 90th-minute goal.
GOAL! Côte d’Ivoire 1-0 Ecuador (Diallo 90)
The moment of brilliance this game needed. A couple of quick passes down the right flank, Singo puts a square pass across the top of the box, and Diallo waits for the ball to get to his left foot before flicking it into the net.
88 min Kossounou replaces Doué, which greatly reduces the odds of the Ivorians finishing this game with 10 players.
87 min The free kick is a menacing in-swinger, headed over by the defense for an Ecuadorian corner.
85 min Angulo motors down the left, and Doué – the master of the pointless foul – bundles him over. He’s lucky not to see a second yellow. Instead, he merely gives up a dangerous free kick near the sideline.
83 min Diamonde beats several players on the left and taps it ahead to Konan, but Ordóñez is on the scene to intervene. The Ecuadorian defender is hurt in the process and must come off for a minute.
There’s an Ecuadorian fan who looks vaguely like a member of Angine de Poitrine.
82 min Ecuador cross to … no one.
Emilio Irigoyen notes my comment about each team’s incentives (or lack thereof) to go all-out for the win: “‘Both of these teams ... know they can’t beat Germany for first place in the group.’ Did you inform them of that in advance, or they figured it out by themselves?”
There was an “if” at the beginning of that sentence that carries over to that phrase … “if … they know they can’t beat Germany.”
That said, do you see either of these teams beating Germany?
79 min Diallo comes very close to slipping through a trio of Ecuadorian defenders to create an open shot, but he can’t quite complete the move.
77 min Patient buildup for Ecuador.
Subs for Côte d’Ivoire: Oulaï and Nottingham Forest’s Sangaré replace Seko Fofana and Pépé.
Ecuador: Rodríguez replaces Enner Valencia, who had a quiet game.
75 min This game deserves a goal, but it’s just starting to feel like it’s not there. Repeating – a draw might be enough for both of these teams to get through, especially if they can both post big numbers against Curacao.
73 min Corner kick for Ecuador, their first. It goes nowhere, and Bonny goes on the break, drawing a yellow on Porozo. That’s the first card to Ecuador in this game.
Hydration break mailbag:
Paul Griffin: “Ecuador v Côte D’Ivoire: An equatorial commodities powerhouse, which fought for independence from colonialism, and now punches above its weight regionally, versus an equatorial commodities powerhouse, which fought for independence from colonialism, and now punches above its weight regionally. My money is on an equatorial commodities powerhouse.”
It’s looking more likely that they’ll split the commodities.
Justin Kavanagh: “Can we get an update on the Michael Oliver injury? Did he strain a throat muscle in whistle practice? Or maybe just run out of puff in the Philadelphia humidity? Between the boot robbery and the cook detention for having knives and now this, England are having a bad time of it in America, so far.”
I’ll be sure to check.
I’ve been told there’s a glitch in my email address somewhere. If you see “beaudure” as one word, add a dot after “beau.”
68 min Direct ball for Ecuador, and it nearly catches the defense unaware. They recover, but Ecuador gets it and we have our first serious save of the match, with Fofana alertly knocking away a strong 20-yard shot from Plata.
Hydration!
67 min Caicedo, whose name hasn’t popped up for a while, plays a neat through ball, but it’s a bit too far ahead.
I haven’t updated the score in a while, because there’s nothing to update. The score now is the same as when we started.
65 min The pace is slowing again, and we have a cautious midfield battle. The crowd is lively, though, as if anticipating either an Ecuadorian attack or the hydration break.
64 min A bit of wrestling off the ball, and my guess is that the referee played advantage with Ecuador on the move.
62 min Subs for Ecuador: Yeboah and Franco out, Preciado and Porozo in. Preciado is Franco’s teammate with Atlético Mineiro (Brazil).
61 min Côte d’Ivoire play a short corner that catches Ecuador by surprise. Seko Fofana takes a heavy touch but is still able to shoot from the top of the area, where it pings through traffic but is easily collected by Galíndez. One slight deflection, and that could’ve been 1-0.
60 min Diamonde again with the ball, and he earns a corner kick.
59 min Diamonde again gets the ball in space, but the passing lanes close quickly.
58 min Diamonde is indeed a talent. He has worked most the game on the right and appeared in the center. Now he’s on the left, and he splits two defenders to create a shooting opportunity. The shot goes way, way high.
55 min Ecuador slow it down, maybe a bit less willing to play at a frenetic pace after seeing the Ivorian counter.
They slowly work it ahead and cross, but nothing’s there. The ball comes back out for a shot that’s only five feet wide.
Substitution: Ecuador will bring in Sunderland’s Nilson Angulo to replace Minda. Côte d’Ivoire bring in Amad Diallo (Manchester United) and Ange-Yoan Bonny (Inter) in place of Wahi and Toure.
53 min Seems like every shot in this game is either (A) off the crossbar or (B) not within 10 feet. Seko Fofana is the latest to do the latter.
52 min OFF THE CROSSBAR! And this time it’s the Ivorians on a quick counter. Wahi races to get to a cross just a few yards out and gets there but can’t keep his shot down.
51 min Finally, your weather update – there’s a massive array of storms heading toward Philadelphia, but it looks like it won’t arrive until an hour or so after the end of this game.
So let’s hope for fewer than 60 minutes of stoppage time.
50 min Pressure on Yahia Fofana, but the Ivorian keeper springs the counterattack. Diamonde has come into the center, and he unleashes a shot nowhere near anything.
48 min Ecuador maintaining possession and sending a hopeful ball into the box.
Possession goes the other way, and Franco commits a foul.
Hang on for that weather update …
46 min Ecuador with an acrobatic passing sequence to create a shot from an acute angle that hits the outside of the post.
Pardon the lack of detail – getting distracted by the weather forecast …
Halftime inbox:
Joe Pearson: “Wearing a t-shirt untucked is the refuge of the beer-bellied. Unless your shirt has a design that goes below the waist (hello Rush Clockwork Angels tour t-shirt), tuck that puppy in. (As I am 68, I may have an unfashionable view here.)“
I have Vapor Trails tour T-shirt. Looking forward to having a Fifty Something tour T-shirt.
Peter Pearson (any relation?): “Greeting from Ridgewood Queens. We have a large Ecuadorian community here and everyone was out in their team tops today. I hope they go far in the tournament!”
I am now the proud parent of a New York City resident myself.
Kári Tulinius: “While most people are aware of the quality of Ecuador, I think Côte d’Ivoire are being underestimated. Unlike most national sides, they have a varied and unpredictable attack. I expect them to trouble any defense, even one as doughty as tonight’s opponents. And in Yan Diomande they have a genuinely top-drawer talent.”
I’ve seen various oddsmakers’ picks, and yes – they aren’t getting the respect they deserve. Diomande has certainly made his presence known.
Incentives and a format issue
Seeing the live standings in this group raises an uncomfortable question: This World Cup has 12 groups of four. In each, the top two teams advance. But so do the eight best third-place teams.
These teams are in a group with Curacao. If both of these teams are confident in beating Curacao by a couple of goals at least, and they know they can’t beat Germany for first place in the group, then is there any incentive for these teams to play for a win? Four points and a nice goal difference should be enough to get to the round of 32.
Thankfully, these teams aren’t playing that way, but it seems a pity that the question could even come up.
Halftime: Côte d’Ivoire 0-0 Ecuador
A half without goals but not without incident. Ecuador have looked a bit more dangerous, hitting the woodwork twice and squandering another good chance or two, but Côte d’Ivoire have shown some dazzling attacking skills as well. The 2023 African champions should consider avoiding silly fouls, though, or they’ll be down to 10 men. Ecuador are embellishing contact, sure, but the contact is still there.
45 min +4 You don’t usually see a foul to stop your own team’s promising attack, but Côte d’Ivoire have managed just that, with Kessié sending an Ecuadorian to the ground while his teammates rushed forward.
Coach Emerse Nicolas Faé is getting rather frustrated with our officials.
45 min +2 Corner kick now for Côte d’Ivoire – partially cleared, sent back in to Singo for a bicycle kick attempt that hits his shin and sails high.
45 min A long ball for Côte d’Ivoire, expertly controlled by Touré, but he opts to shoot when passing was probably the better option.
44 min They’re still looking for an opening, but they’re deeper in their own end. The crowd might be heading to the concessions and restrooms early.
43 min Ecuador move the ball from side to side, looking for an opening. And they continue for a while.
41 min And ANOTHER yellow, this one to Doué for a second pointless foul in just a few minutes. It wasn’t as dramatic as Enner Valencia decided to portray, but it was a legitimate and rather silly foul.
38 min Another yellow card to Côte d’Ivoire, this one to the captain Kessié, and I have to say that seems a bit harsh. It wasn’t a reckless foul. It didn’t stop a promising attack. It was not a case of a substitute entering the field without being waved on. (I’m just prepping for my ref recertification by remembering all the reasons a yellow card might be shown.)
