90' | AN ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE TO SEAL THE MATCH!! Unbelievable from the Elephants! Barely a minute after breaking the deadlock, when it seemed like Côte d'Ivoire would just freeze the game, they bit back with a lethal counterattack. Amad Diallo...

The team's confidence is at an all-time high following their resounding 2-1 victory over France in a friendly match played in early June. That result confirmed that the "Elephants" have plenty of firepower to compete on equal terms against any opponent.

On the other side will be an Ecuadorian national team that arrives at the World Cup with high expectations. The squad managed by Sebastián Beccacece has consolidated one of the most solid defenses in South America, led by William Pacho and Piero Hincapié, while also boasting the talent of Moisés Caicedo in midfield and the goalscoring experience of Enner Valencia.

La Tri comes off a 3-0 victory against Guatemala in their final warm-up friendly and is confident that their balance of youth and experience will allow them to navigate a group stage that they also share with Germany and Curaçao.

Although experts give a slight edge to Ecuador, Ivory Coast relies on their recent experience on big stages to kick off the tournament with a positive result. A triumph in Philadelphia would bring the Africans significantly closer to qualification and would confirm their credentials as one of the most dangerous teams outside the pool of favorites.

Watch beIN SPORTS Xtra live and for free on YouTube