Ivory Coast vs Ecuador Predicted Lineups & Team News

One of the most-anticipated of the first round of games at this World Cup sees Ivory Coast and Ecuador lock horns in Philadelphia in the early hours of Monday morning (12am BST, live on BBC One).

Who's likely to get the nod? Let’s investigate the team news, key players, and predicted lineups ahead of this Group E clash.

Ivory Coast

After their ‘golden generation’ propelled them to three consecutive World Cups between 2006 and 2014, Ivory Coast return to football’s top table following an eight-year hiatus. Despite previously having the likes of former Chelsea trio Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, and Salomon Kalou in their ranks, Les Elephants are yet to reach the knockout rounds.

One of 10 CAF representatives to be present in North America, the Ivorians enjoyed a superb qualifying campaign. Emerse Faé’s men were unbeaten in each of their 10 qualifiers, a feat they achieved without conceding a single goal.

Furthermore, the Gambia - who ironically finished two places below them in qualifying Group F - were the only team in the entire CAF section to find the net on more occasions.

A solid effort at the African Cup of Nations and a highly impressive 2-1 victory over a full-strength French outfit then followed, leaving many to mark Ivory Coast as dark horses for this summer’s tournament.

Having left several high-profile players at home, Emerse Faé is clearly ready to make tough calls when required. The French tactician chose not to select Wilfried Zaha, who is set to be released by Galatasaray following an 18-month loan spell with MLS side Charlotte FC.

Willy Boly also failed to make the cut after an injury-ravaged end to last season, while former Borussia Dortmund striker Sébastien Haller has only been called up as a standby option.

Ecuador

Ecuador’s best performance at a World Cup came in 2006, when only a trademark David Beckham free-kick prevented them from progressing to the quarter-finals in Germany.

La Tricolor shocked many during qualifying, finishing comfortably ahead of Colombia, Uruguay, and five-time World Cup winners Brazil in the South American league table. This achievement was made all the more impressive given that Ecuador commenced their campaign with a three-point deduction, after falsifying a player’s birth certificate during the previous qualification cycle.

The Ecuadorians’ success is built on a watertight defence, which somehow managed to ship just five goals in 18 qualifiers and includes the likes of Arsenal’s Piero Hincapié, Paris Saint-Germain centre-half Willian Pacho, and Pervis Estupiñán of AC Milan.

Remember you can bet on this match and check out all of the live Ivory Coast vs Ecuador Odds over on betfred.com

Ivory Coast vs Ecuador Key Players:

Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast)

Frozen out of the international picture for several years, Amad Diallo made a telling impact as he returned to the Ivory Coast squad midway through World Cup qualifying.

The Manchester United winger netted his country’s third goal against Kenya last October, effectively clinching the three points Ivory Coast required to secure safe progression to the finals. Diallo then provided a constant threat down the right-hand flank throughout the Ivorians’ run to the AFCON quarter-finals, scoring three times in the process.

Enner Valencia (Ecuador)

For all their defensive qualities, Ecuador’s fortunes at this tournament could hinge on their ruthlessness - or lack of it - in the final third. Head coach Sebastián Beccacece has received plenty of criticism for continuing to rely on talismanic centre-forward Enner Valencia, who is still the main man in attack.

Valencia netted three times in each of his country’s last two World Cup appearances, contributing to his overall tally of 49 international goals. Throughout his storied career, the former Everton star has played in the Brazilian, Turkish, and English top-flights, while his latest assignment has been with seven-time Liga MX champions Pachuca.

Can he once again produce the goods for Ecuador this summer?

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