Messi hat-trick fires holders Argentina to win over Algeria at World Cup
Argentina open defence of their World Cup crown with a Lionel Messi-inspired 3-0 win against Algeria at 2026 edition. Published On 17 Jun 202617 Jun 2026 Lionel Messi marked his record sixth World Cup appearance with his first hat-trick at a FIFA tournament – also becoming the joint-highest scorer at a World Cup – as Argentina beat Algeria 3-0 to open the defence of their global crown. The former 38-year-old forward thought he had opened the scoring in the eighth minute in Kansas City on Tuesday when he slotted home from close range, but the offside flag was raised. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The dream start to his record-setting appearance, which will be matched by Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal against the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Wednesday, was not to be denied for long, though. A trademark, mazy run was capped by a drive on the edge of the box from that famed left foot. The power was too much for Algeria keeper Luca Zidane, son of World Cup winner with France, Zinedine. Messi doubled his tally on the hour mark with a simple tap-in from a rebound off the keeper following a drive from Alexis Mac Allister. The moment that was magical even for a player as decorated as Messi came in the 76th minute when he drilled low past the keeper from just outside the box. The strike took Messi level with former Germany striker Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals. His substitution came just three minutes later to a standing ovation – even old maestro seemed disappointed to be removed, and most likely rested for Argentina’s tilt at becoming only the third side to defend a World Cup title. Algeria – the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations winners – offered little, but were themselves denied an early goal when Fares Chaibi’s ninth-minute strike was ruled out for offside. Advertisement Messi saw to it that there was no opening game upset to be had at this edition, with Argentina having lost their opening game at Qatar 2022 to Saudi Arabia before defeating France in the final. The iconic Argentinian number 10, who spent the majority of his club career in Spain with Barcelona before moving to French giants Paris Saint-Germain, plies his trade in US football’s Major League Soccer with Inter Miami. It was during an end-of-season game for Miami that he sustained a minor hamstring injury that slowed him down in the lead-up to the World Cup. But the eight-time winner of the Ballon d’Or, which honours global football’s best player, had no problems in a tune-up last week with Iceland, scoring on a penalty kick while playing for 20 minutes. Messi’s appearance against Algeria was the 200th of his international career, which began in 2005 at the age of 18. The only players with more are Portugal’s Ronaldo, who will play in his 229th on Wednesday, and Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa, who played in 202. The Argentinian’s hat-trick also upstaged two of football’s other big stars – Kylian Mbappe of France and Erling Haaland of Norway – who had big games on Tuesday. Mbappe scored twice in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal earlier in the day and is tied for fourth on the World Cup scoring list with 14, while Haaland scored twice for Norway in their 4-1 win over Iraq. Jordan and Austria open their account in the group later on Tuesday in San Francisco. Argentina next face Austria on Monday. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump administration seeks to halt air pollution lawsuit against xAI
US Department of Justice claims NAACP lawsuit threatens ‘national, economic, and energy security’. The United States government has intervened on the side of Elon Musk’s xAI in a legal dispute over the environmental impact of a $20bn data centre in Tennessee, claiming that efforts to block a related power project threaten national security. In a court motion filed this week, the Department of Justice requested the dismissal of a lawsuit accusing xAI of illegally operating dozens of natural gas turbines at a Southaven, Mississippi facility constructed to power the Colossus 2 data center in nearby Memphis, Tennessee. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the largest civil rights group for African Americans, filed the lawsuit in April under the 1963 Clean Energy Act, which allows citizens to seek injunctions and civil penalties against alleged polluters. The NAACP alleges that xAI erected the turbines without obtaining the necessary permits, exposing hundreds of thousands of residents in Mississippi and neighbouring Tennessee to harmful pollutants linked to “increases in asthma, respiratory diseases, heart problems, and certain cancers”. The lawsuit notes that a “much larger share” of residents are Black compared with the US general population. In its motion, filed in a US District Court on Monday, the Justice Department accused the NAACP of threatening “national, economic, and energy security by seeking to shut off the power supply for artificial intelligence innovation that supports the Department of War’s military operations”. The motion also claims that the US Constitution vests the power to seek civil penalties “conclusively and preclusively” in the executive branch, including the “discretion to decide when such an enforcement action is unwarranted or inconsistent with federal enforcement priorities”. Advertisement Adam Gustafson, the top prosecutor at the Justice Department’s environment and natural resources division, said in a statement that the government would “not sit idly by while private organisations use environmental laws to undermine our national security”. xAI, which is a subsidiary of Musk’s SpaceX, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Elon Musk listens to a speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a state dinner with US President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, China, on May 14, 2026 [File: Mark Schiefelbein/AP] Earthjustice, an advocacy group representing the NAACP in the lawsuit, condemned the intervention as a “massive power grab” by President Donald Trump’s administration. “Trump’s Justice Department wants to shield Elon Musk’s data center company, xAI, from being held accountable for its illegal pollution – and it’s attempting to grab power from impacted communities, the courts, and Congress to do so. There is no moral or legal precedent for this,” Laura Thoms, director of enforcement for Earthjustice, said in a statement. Abre’ Conner, director of environmental and climate justice at the NAACP, said that polluters should not benefit “at the expense of the health of Black communities”. “Laws like the Clean Air Act are a bedrock insurance policy for communities to hold polluters accountable for decisions that cause them harm,” Conner said in a statement. “This should not be up for debate, and the NAACP will continue to stand up for democracy and against federal bullying and authoritarianism.” The Trump administration has cultivated close ties with Musk, the world’s richest man, tapping the tech titan as a temporary cost-cutting tsar and using xAI’s flagship model Grok in the Pentagon’s drive to become an “AI-enabled fighting force”. In testimony in support of Monday’s motion, Cameron Stanley, the Pentagon’s top official for AI, said that Grok had been used to launch more than 2,000 munitions at 2,000 targets within the first 96 hours of the US-Israel war on Iran. If Grok cannot be deployed and upgraded due to “limitations in energy supply or limited reserve compute capability”, numerous tools used by the Pentagon would be “severely impacted”, Stanley said in a declaration made under oath. Adblock test (Why?)
Russian drone strikes residential building in Ukraine
NewsFeed A suspected Russian drone attack on a residential building in Ukraine has injured at least seven people. Emergency services responded as fire ripped through the building in Zaporizhzhia. Published On 17 Jun 202617 Jun 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
US stock market climbs as US-Iran deal stirs hopes for end to energy chaos
Benchmark S&P 500 rises 1.7 percent, while tech-heavy Nasdaq jumps 3.1 percent. Published On 16 Jun 202616 Jun 2026 US stocks have rallied on hopes that the tentative deal to end the US-Israel war on Iran will restore stability to energy supply chains roiled by months of disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. The S&P 500 rose 1.7 percent on Monday, taking the benchmark index within touching distance of its all-time high. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The tech-focused Nasdaq Composite jumped 3.1 percent, aided by a 19.6 percent gain by SpaceX, which on Friday made the biggest market debut in history and minted the world’s first trillionaire in Elon Musk. The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.9 percent, closing at a record high. Brent crude futures, the primary benchmark for global oil prices, fell nearly 5 percent to just above $83 a barrel, the lowest price since the first week of the conflict. Asian stock markets were largely flat on Monday morning, after surging the previous day on the back of US President Donald Trump’s announcement of his deal with Tehran. As of 01:30 GMT, Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 was 0.01 percent lower, while South Korea’s Kospi, the best-performing major index this year, was down 0.06 percent. In Taiwan, the TAIEX was up 0.2 percent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was down 0.07 percent. Jay Goldberg, a senior analyst for tech-related equities at the Chicago-based Seaport Research Partners, said the announcement of the US-Iran deal had tilted investors’ risk balancing act towards buying into the market. “To oversimplify, the debate has been: AI spending is strong, but there’s a war going on,” Goldberg told Al Jazeera. Advertisement “The war is over, it seems, so that side of the argument falls away. Investors are now feeling better about taking on more risk,” Goldberg said. While Washington and Tehran’s framework has raised hopes for a return to stability in global energy markets, it is expected to take months before energy flows fully return to normal, due to the massive backlog of vessels around the Strait of Hormuz and the need to ensure the waterway is safe from Iranian naval mines. According to the International Shipping Chamber, about 500 ships are still waiting to pass through the strait, which normally carries about one-fifth of global supplies of oil and liquefied natural gas. Adblock test (Why?)
Saudi Arabia draw 1–1 against Uruguay in World Cup opening game
By Reuters Published On 16 Jun 202616 Jun 2026 Maxi Araujo scored a late equaliser to salvage a 1-1 draw for Uruguay in their World Cup opener against Saudi Arabia, preventing another stunning upset in Group H after Spain’s earlier goalless draw with Cape Verde. The Saudis famously beat Argentina 2-1 in their 2022 tournament opener, and they looked on course for another shock, courtesy of Abdulelah Alamri’s 41st-minute strike, until winger Araujo stepped up 10 minutes from time at Miami Stadium on Monday. Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa certainly viewed it as a missed opportunity after European champions Spain dropped two points earlier in the day. “An opponent we should have beaten; we gave away minutes in the first half that suggest we didn’t do things right,” he said. “We had to win this match.” The Green Falcons ultimately had goalkeeper Mohammed Alowais to thank for their point, which will give them confidence they can progress to the knockout stage for the first time since the United States last hosted the World Cup in 1994. “We were very tired at the end, but to play this type of game with this opponent, and to get a point, it’s a positive for us,” said Saudi Arabia coach Georgios Donis. “I like the spirit and the passion of my players, but I think we have the quality to play better.” Abdulelah Alamri scores Saudi Arabia’s goal past Fernando Muslera [Molly Darlington/Getty Images via AFP] Uruguay, World Cup winners in 1930 and 1950, started the match with the swagger of favourites, and in the fifth minute, left winger Araujo turned on the edge of the box and angled a shot at goal, which Alowais parried away. Advertisement But barring a Federico Vinas diving header on the half-hour mark, which Alowais also pushed away, the Uruguayans lacked accuracy going forward and often looked a bit casual at the back. Donis had promised his side would be courageous, and their attack sparked into life in the 36th minute, when left-back Moteb Alharbi skipped through the midfield before being cynically cut down 30 metres (about 30 yards) from goal. Alamri had a shot from the centre of the box well saved by Fernando Muslera two minutes later, but the Uruguay goalkeeper was powerless to prevent the Saudis from going ahead soon afterwards. Mohamed Kanno got on the end of a Musab Aljuwayr corner, and although Muslera managed to save his powerful header, Alamri was on hand to tap the ball into the net. Bielsa made two changes at the break, and Uruguay’s game plan immediately looked more coherent – getting players down the flank to put crosses into the box and producing a string of headers for Alowais to deal with. Defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte came within inches of an equaliser when he beat the Saudi keeper in the 60th minute, only for his drilled shot to bounce off the far post. Vinas had been Uruguay’s best aerial threat all game, and it was no surprise that the breakthrough came from one of his headers 10 minutes from full-time. Alowais again denied the target man, but the ball fell straight to Araujo, who did well to control it and clip it into the net at the near post. Uruguay poured forward, looking for a winner in a frenetic finish; Federico Valverde and Jose Maria Gimenez coming closest with rasping shots from either side of the box, which Alowais did well to push past his posts. “I think the nerves of the debut worked against us, as did the need to go out and score,” said Vinas. “In the second half, we did a bit more of what the manager wanted. I’m frustrated and angry, but as captain, I’m happy with my teammates’ work.” Saudi fans celebrate [Alex Slitz/Getty Images via AFP] Adblock test (Why?)
Who is Vozinha, Cape Verde’s viral goalkeeper at the World Cup?
From his hometown of Sao Vicente in Cape Verde, Vozinha has been his jersey name throughout his club career. Published On 16 Jun 202616 Jun 2026 Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha broke down in tears at the end of the 0-0 draw with Spain after the 40-year-old was mobbed by his teammates following a stunning display as he denied the European champions victory in their World Cup opener. Cape Verde were pinned back in their own half for much of Monday’s game, but whenever Spain broke through their dogged rearguard, Vozinha came to the rescue. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list His heroics earned him the player of the match, pulling off a string of saves at the end of the first half to deny Ferran Torres, Pedri and Aymeric Laporte. Here’s everything we know about the Cape Verde goalkeeper: Cape Verde’s goalkeeper, Vozinha, celebrates at the end of the 2026 World Cup Group H match between Spain and Cape Verde at Atlanta Stadium on June 15, 2026 [AFP] Where does Vozinha play? Vozinha goalkeeps for Chaves in Portugal’s second-tier football league. The World Cup is by far the biggest stage he has reached, but Vozinha began his club career at home with Batuque FC, before transferring to CS Mindelense. The veteran player’s experience comes from the myriad clubs he has represented – from Progresso in Angola to Zimbru Chisinau in Moldova, Gil Vicente in Portugal, AEL Limassol in Cyprus and AS Trencin in Slovakia, before arriving at Chaves. Is Vozinha his real name? No, Vozinha is a moniker for Josimar Jose Evora Dias. It came from his grandparents, whom he spent most of his time with as his father was in the military and his mother was working. The name checks out, since it means “little granny” in Portuguese. Advertisement From his hometown of Sao Vicente in Cape Verde, Vozinha has been his jersey name throughout the nomadic club pilgrimage across Africa and Europe. “When I arrived in Angola, there was another goalkeeper named Josimar, and I said, ‘I am not going to put Josimar II on the shirt’. If everyone knew me as Vozinha in Cape Verde, that’s what I would be,” he told FIFA in an interview earlier this year. What did Vozinha say after the match? The Cape Verde keeper was reduced to tears by his heroics and fairytale World Cup debut. “Very proud… It is an honour for me to represent my country,” Vozinha told reporters of his island nation, the third smallest nation to qualify for a World Cup. “I cried because I grew up with my grandparents and, unfortunately, they were not here; they died a few years before, and they did everything for me and my life,” he added. “Also, my mum, she didn’t manage to be here because of the visa. The money for the visa, we didn’t manage on time, and I would like her to be here.” Is Vozinha world-famous now? Yes, on all counts. The goalkeeper’s Instagram following jumped from a modest 500,000 to nearly 5 million within a few hours of full-time in the Spain match. His quiet brilliance was spotlighted on the world’s biggest stage for all to see. French football star Paul Pogba took to social media after the match in praise of Vozinha. “The Cape Verde goalkeeper is really something, waaaaw,” he wrote. Adblock test (Why?)
Tunisia sack boss Sabri Lamouchi after World Cup thrashing by Sweden
Tunisia coach Sabri Lamouchi pays the price for 5-1 football defeat to Sweden in Group F opener at World Cup 2026. Published On 15 Jun 202615 Jun 2026 Sabri Lamouchi has been sacked by Tunisia after just one game of World Cup 2026. The 54-year-old former France international was sacked the day after Tunisia’s 5-1 trouncing by Sweden in their opening Group F football game in Monterrey, Mexico, on Sunday night. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Tunisian officials have installed Mondher Kebaier, who led the national team from 2019 to 2022 and has been in a technical director role since last year, as interim boss ahead of the second group game against Japan in the early hours of Sunday, also in Monterrey. The 56-year-old previously guided the Eagles of Carthage to the final of the Arab Cup in 2021, losing to Algeria, before a quarterfinal exit in AFCON the following year. Speaking before his departure, Lamouchi said his side had been punished for a string of costly mistakes and after the game admitted: “It’s a difficult loss. It’s painful. Starting the competition with this bad of a loss is indeed difficult. “We made way too many mistakes.” Lamouchi was already under pressure after a 5-0 defeat to Belgium in the team’s final warm-up game, while he has been forced to defend the presence of his son during their training camp in the media despite him not being an official member of the party. Tunisia will face Japan and the Netherlands, who played out a pulsating 2-2 draw in their opening match in Dallas on Sunday, in their final two group fixtures, and Lamouchi said: “We have our pride. We need to react. We need to give a better image.” Lamouchi, who holds dual Tunisian and French citizenship, represented clubs including Auxerre, Monaco, Parma, Inter and Marseille during his playing career before his first role in management saw him guide Ivory Coast to the 2014 World Cup, beating Japan in their first game only to exit in the group stage after a dramatic late defeat against Greece in their final game. Advertisement It was a second chapter of World Cup heartache for Lamouchi, who was cut from the final France squad for World Cup 1998 by coach Aime Jacquet, missing out on a place in history as Les Bleus claimed their first title on home soil. He went on to manage Rennes and Nottingham Forest before short stints in Qatar, with Cardiff City and in Saudi Arabia before being appointed by Tunisia in January on a two-and-a-half-year contract following a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations campaign. Adblock test (Why?)
EU fails to agree on sanctions for far-right Israeli minister Ben-Gvir
Published On 15 Jun 202615 Jun 2026 European Union member states have failed to agree on proposals to sanction Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, the bloc’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. Speaking at a media conference on Monday, Kallas said that while “many” EU states had proposed economic restrictions, “no consensus on that was reached today”. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Far-right minister Ben-Gvir has been criticised by several individual EU states for his treatment of activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla who were detained by Israeli soldiers as they tried to reach Gaza last month. However, efforts to impose sanctions on Ben-Gvir at EU level have met resistance. With unanimity required, the bid has failed to win full approval, Kallas said. The EU’s chief diplomat did not outline which states had refused to agree to the proposal. However, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic are understood to be among those in opposition. Israel’s Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir provoked outrage in some EU states as he was shown mocking detained Gaza flotilla activists (File: Getty) Kallas added that “many” member states also called for proposals from the EU Commission to prepare options on how to limit trade with illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank. “I will convey this request and ask the Commission to prepare, ahead of the next Foreign Affairs Council, a list of options for possible trade measures, including measures aimed at preventing imports of goods originating from illegal settlements,” she said. Advertisement Last month, the EU moved for the first time to impose economic restrictions on violent settlers responsible for human rights abuses in the West Bank. Following the raid by Israeli forces on the flotilla, a widely shared video showed Ben-Gvir mocking activists kneeling on the floor with their hands tied behind their backs. The international outcry saw a number of countries, including Israel’s long-time ally Italy, seek to impose restrictions on the Israeli minister. Italy has opened an investigation into allegations of kidnapping and torture involving Italian citizens who were among the activists. French prosecutors have launched an investigation into allegations of war crimes and torture. Those developments came as EU pressure on Israel has grown in recent months. In April, Italy suspended a bilateral defence agreement, while last month the EU moved for the first time to impose economic restrictions on violent settlers accused of human rights abuses in the occupied West Bank. The EU is Israel’s biggest trading partner, accounting last year for more than 30 percent of Israel’s total trade in goods with the world Adblock test (Why?)
France vs Senegal: World Cup 2026 – Mbappe, teams, lineups, start, Dembele
The 2026 World Cup has 13 different kickoff times. You can use the Al Jazeera Sport widget to find out exactly when your team is playing in your local time. Who: France vs SenegalWhat: FIFA World Cup 2026Where: New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, United StatesWhen: Tuesday, June 16 , 3pm local time (19:00 GMT)How to follow: Catch all live updates on Al Jazeera Sport Senegal against France has to be one of the most memorable fixtures in World Cup history, and for all the wrong reasons for Les Bleus. Tournament debutants Senegal stunned the defending champions, plagued by off-field issues, in the opening game of the 2002 edition in Seoul, South Korea, winning 1-0 thanks to Papa Bouba Diop’s goal after half -an -hour – watched from the bench by current Lions of Teranga boss, Pape Thiaw. It remains the only meeting of two nations bonded by 300 years of history, but a repeat in New York New Jersey on Tuesday would not only send new shockwaves throughout the football world, it would be extra -special for the 10 members of the Senegal squad who were born in France. Michael Olise celebrates scoring France’s first goal against Northern Ireland with Ousmane Dembele and Kylian Mbappe [Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters] Deschamps aiming to end on a golden note Spain might be the narrow favourites to win World Cup 2026 but is there a more settled and talented squad than France? Didier Deschamps will seek to end his glorious 14-year tenure as France coach by leading Les Bleus to a third World Cup success. Advertisement Deschamps lifted the trophy as captain at home in 1998, then masterminded their 2018 success in Russia, while only a penalty shootout defeat to Argentina in the 2022 final prevented him from becoming just the second coach to win two World Cups. With his contract set to end in July and with Zinedine Zidane waiting in the wings, Deschamps – the longest serving coach at the tournament by five years – will seek to go out on a high with a third straight final appearance back in East Rutherford on July 19 . Three wins here would make him the most successful World Cup coach of all time with 17 tournament victories. Despite a slightly underwhelming performance at Euro 2024, when they suffered semi-final defeat against Spain after scoring just four goals in six games, including a penalty and two own -goals, France dropped only two points in qualification for this tournament by drawing in Iceland. They possess surely the most talented attacking arsenal in the game today, with Kylian Mbappe supported by Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise and the likes of Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue. While Mbappe hasn’t had the happiest of years with Real Madrid, he still managed 42 goals in all competitions and nobody has scored more than his 12 goals in the past two World Cups – including a hat-trick on his last appearance, the 2022 final. He is one goal away from matching Olivier Giroud’s record of 57 goals for France. Olise has shone for Bayern Munich, providing 26 assists, and after the disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Ivory Coast, he scored a hat-trick in the final warm-up against Northern Ireland, while Dembele averaged 1.4 goals and assists per 90 minutes in Ligue 1, helping Paris Saint Germain to back-to-back Champions League crowns. Senegal coach Pape Thiaw and Kalidou Koulibaly celebrate with the trophy after the Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco in January (Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters) (Reuters) Senegal seek to make deep run Whether you consider them African champions or not, Senegal are not at the World Cup just to make up the numbers. Their status as AFCON winners remains undecided after they appealed the decision of the Confederation of African Football to remove the title after their controversial final against Morocco in January. The Lions of Teranga walked off the pitch after Morocco were awarded a last-ditch penalty with the scores level. Though Brahim Diaz missed the penalty in the 24th minute of added time, after a long delay, and Papa Gueye scored an extra-time winner for Senegal, they were subsequently stripped of the title and have lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Advertisement Pape Thiaw’s men went undefeated in qualifying to top their group with seven wins in 10 matches, conceding only three times, and will fancy their chances of making a deep run into the knockout stages, despite being handed a testing group of France and Norway, as well as Iraq. Their last competitive defeat – if you don’t count the AFCON Final – came in the last 16 against England in Qatar in 2022 – they are unbeaten in 30 since then and though they lost a warm-up match to the USA and played out a stalemate with Saudi Arabia, their talented squad features 20 players playing in Europe’s top-five leagues. France’s William Saliba, Ngolo Kante, Ibrahima Konate and Desire Doue during training [Peter Cziborra/Reuters] France team news Both sides should be at full strength for the game with France defender William Saliba back in full training after aggravating a back injury in Arsenal’s Champions League Final defeat to PSG, while Jules Kounde has shaken off a knock picked up against Northern Ireland. Senegal team news Sadio Mane endured a nightmare Qatar 2022 campaign, hampered by injury, but is fit to start while Everton midfielder, Idrissa Gueye, should be fine, despite leaving training early on Saturday. Adblock test (Why?)
Ivory Coast beats Ecuador 1-0 at FIFA World Cup with Amad Diallo goal
Ecuador looked strong before Diallo broke through in the 90th minute with a clinical left-footed shot to seal the win. Published On 15 Jun 202615 Jun 2026 Amad Diallo scored in the 90th minute to lift Ivory Coast to a 1-0 victory over Ecuador in their first World Cup appearance in a dozen years. The teams combined to hit the crossbar three times before the Manchester United winger broke the deadlock to secure three points for his team at the Philadelphia Stadium on Sunday. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Diallo – who entered as a substitute in the 56th minute – broke through with a left-footed shot from just inside the penalty area that beat diving goalkeeper Hernan Galindez. Wilfried Singo set up the goal with a strong run down the right side. Making their fourth appearance in the World Cup and the first since 2014, Ivory Coast took a big step towards reaching the knockout stage for the first time. Elye Wahi hit the crossbar in the 52nd minute for Ivory Coast, after Ecuador’s John Yeboah and Nilson Angulo did the same in the opening half. Ecuador, making their fifth World Cup appearance and looking to reach the knockout round for the second time, were playing a virtual home game at the stadium, otherwise known as the Lincoln Financial Field, with most of the capacity crowd of 68,274 wearing the yellow shirts of La Tri. Ecuador looked strong before Diallo’s goal. Their best chance after halftime came in the 68th minute on Gonzalo Plata’s hard shot from about 25 yards out, which was parried away by goalkeeper Yahia Fofana. Ivory Coast were bolstered by the forward play of Yan Diomande as the Leipzig attacker created several scoring chances, particularly down the right side. That included Wahi’s near-goal on a flick following Diomande’s hard cross. Advertisement Ivory Coast, who did not concede a goal while going 8-0-2 in 10 qualifying matches, will next face four-time World Cup champions Germany, who defeated Curacao 7-1 earlier on Sunday in Group E. Ecuador will meet Curacao. Both matches will be played June 20 . Adblock test (Why?)