Soccer-Teenager Diomande starts for Ivory Coast against Ecuador


Soccer Football - International Friendly - France v Ivory Coast - The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, Nantes, France - June 4, 2026 Ivory Coast's Yan Diomande in action with France's Ibrahima Konate REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

PHILADELPHIA, June 14 (Reuters) - ⁠Ivory Coast have selected teenage ⁠forward Yan Diomande to start up ‌front alongside the experienced Nicolas Pepe for Sunday's World Cup Group E clash against Ecuador.

• ​Diomande starts after an ⁠excellent season for ⁠RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga.

• Midfielder Franck ⁠Kessie ‌will lead the African side with Manchester United forward Amad ⁠Diallo on the bench.

• Veteran forward ​Enner ‌Valencia starts for Ecuador, who finished ⁠second in ​South American qualifying.

• Ecuador will have a back three of Piero Hincapie, Joel ⁠Ordonez, Willian Pacho. They ​conceded only five goals in 18 World Cup qualifiers.

Lineups:

Ivory Coast: Yahia Fofana, Ghislain Konan, ⁠Wilfried Singo, Guela Doue, Emmanuel Agbadou, Seko Fofana, Franck Kessie, Yan Diomande, Elye Wahi, Nicolas Pepe, Bazoumana Toure

Ecuador: ​Hernan Galindez, Piero Hincapie, ⁠Joel Ordonez, Willian Pacho, Alan Minda, ​Pedro Vite, Alan Franco, ‌Moises Caicedo, John Yeboah, ​Enner Valencia, Gonzalo Plata

(Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Ed Osmond)

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