World Cup 2026: “It wasn’t the start we expected” – Hernan Galindez laments Ecuador’s painful defeat to Ivory Coast

Ecuador goalkeeper Hernan Galindez admitted his side was left frustrated after a dramatic 1-0 defeat to Ivory Coast in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting the result did not reflect the balance of play.

La Tri looked on course to take at least a point from the Group E encounter in Philadelphia before Manchester United winger Amad Diallo struck in the 90th minute to hand the African side all three points. The defeat brought an end to Ecuador’s impressive unbeaten run and left them with work to do in their remaining group-stage matches.

Speaking after the match, Galíndez could not hide his disappointment.

“It hurts a lot. It wasn’t the start we expected. I think the result is unfair. In a World Cup there’s no time to dwell on it, you have to correct mistakes and get back up for the next match,” he commented.

Despite the setback, the experienced goalkeeper stressed that Ecuador must quickly shift their focus to the next challenge.

“We have to shake off the frustration and prepare for the match against Curaçao. We need to recover quickly because the tournament continues.”

Ecuador created several opportunities throughout the contest and were unfortunate not to find the breakthrough. John Yeboah and Alan Minda both struck the crossbar during an encouraging first-half display, while the South Americans controlled large portions of possession and looked the more dangerous side for long spells.

Reflecting on the missed opportunities, Galindez pointed to Ecuador’s lack of efficiency in front of goal.

“We had many scoring opportunities, we even hit the woodwork twice . We controlled the ball well and we knew they were dangerous on the wings. They had already tried the play that led to their goal several times,” explained the Huracan goalkeeper.

The decisive moment arrived in the final minute of normal time when Wilfried Singo burst down the right flank and picked out Diallo, who finished clinically beyond Galíndez to seal victory for the Elephants.

Galindez also accepted that he and his teammates must share responsibility for the defeat while giving credit to the Ivorians for making the most of their chance.

“One always takes responsibility for mistakes, but we must also recognize the merit of the opponent. They were effective in the opportunities they had.”

With Germany leading Group E after their emphatic win over Curacao, Ecuador now face a must-win clash against Curacao as they look to revive their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.