Ivory Coast will take on Ecuador in their first Group E match of the FIFA World Cup, set to be played at Philadelphia Stadium on Monday.
The Elephants come into the tournament in excellent form, having won their last three friendly matches. Their standout performance was an impressive 2-1 win against France.
Before that, they secured a dominant 4-0 victory over South Korea and edged past Scotland with a narrow 1-0 win. Their most recent loss dates back to January, when they were beaten 3-2 by Egypt in the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Ivory Coast team news
Ivory Coast faces some selection concerns ahead of this opening game at Lincoln Financial Field. Head coach Emerse Fae will have to cope without Roma defender Evan Ndicka, who has been ruled out due to an ongoing thigh injury.
On a positive note, Odilon Kossounou has recovered from a recent injury and is expected to start in defence alongside Emmanuel Agbadou.
The team is also going through a transition in attack following the surprising omission of experienced striker Sebastien Haller from the World Cup squad.
This decision paves the way for a younger attacking lineup, with players like Yan Diomande and Amad Diallo likely to play key roles.
At the same time, Evann Guessand and Elye Wahi are competing for the central striker position, with both hoping to secure a place in the starting eleven.
Ivory Coast predicted lineup
Possible Ivory Coast starting XI: Y. Fofana; Doue, Agbadou, Kossounou, Konan; Kessie, Sangare, S. Fofana; Diallo, Guessand, Diomande
When will the match kick off?
The match will kick off at 12 am BST, on Monday, 15th June.
How to watch Ivory Coast vs Ecuador?
Fans in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on BBC One.
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