Ivory Coast
- Ivory Coast have won seven of their last ten games in all competitions (W7, D1, L2).
-
Ivory Coast are the form team for this World Cup opener, having won four of their last five, including away victories against France, Republic of Korea and Scotland in their recent friendlies.
- France
- Republic of Korea
- Scotland
Ecuador
Ecuador are undefeated in their last six away games, but have not been able to beat any of those opponents.
Key Players
- Emerse Faé has done a brilliant job since taking over as coach of Les Elephants in January 2024, immediately shaping a dynamic, transition-driven side that can dictate possession but also hit with pace and directness on the counter-attack.
- Franck Kessié is the orchestrator in midfield, but he is more of an anchor, while Simon Adingra's pace and ability to cut inside at will make him the most dangerous man on the pitch on his day.
- They are extremely organised, disciplined in pressing and compact when defending with a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1 system, and can be very dangerous on the attack with Moisés Caicedo dictating play in central midfield and keeping the game compact.
- Gonzalo Plata has been excellent for Ecuador of late, making three assists in their last five matches, but Enner Valencia is the focal point and a man to watch at all times.
Betting Insights
- Both teams to score is our second selection at 2.25.
- The 2.9 for over 2.5 goals is also attractive.
Prediction
Ecuador are a solid side that are undefeated in ten matches, but they have drawn six of those ten, so a draw is our selection for this match at 2.79 .
