Philadelphia hosted it’s first of six World Cup matches on Sunday night, kicking off a long-awaited summer of soccer in the city of Brotherly Love with a suspenseful 1-0 Côte d’Ivoire victory against Ecuador.
The match began at 7pm, but there was no shortage of excitement from both fanbases in the hours leading into the action.
On Friday night, Ivory Coast hosted a community training session at Subaru Park, giving fans an up-close-and-personal look at their final preparations before opening their fourth-ever run in the tournament.
On Saturday night, the Ecuadorians took the spotlight as droves of supporters in yellow took over the Philadelphia Art Museum steps, chanting, celebrating, and rallying together on the eve of the all-important Group E match.
Come matchday, the city was abuzz with anticipation, and the energy carried through the final whistle as a full house of fans, in large part supporting the South American side, watched in the city’s beloved South Philly stadium.
The match was scoreless for 90 minutes, despite promising chances from both sides, but in the end, it was Philadelphia Union’s guests, Ivory Coast, who found the lone goal of the match late to make it 1-0.
23-year-old Amad Diallo was the hero, finding the back of the net when his team needed it most. The Manchester United player’s effort sent the small but mighty contingent of fans supporting the West African side into a frenzy –creating an instant World Cup classic moment. The result was not only their fourth-ever victory in the tournament, but a step closer to an greater milestone -- booking their first trip trip to the knockout round.
Here’s a look at Group E as it stands:
