- Recent form: Ivory Coast have won three successive games, including an impressive victory away at France.
- Unbeaten run: Ecuador are unbeaten in their last 10 in all competitions, but have only won three times (W3, D7) with seven consecutive away draws.
- Home record: Ivory Coast have won two and drawn one of their last three at home, conceding only one goal.
A classic clash of styles awaits in Group E
This Sunday's meeting between Ivory Coast and Ecuador will be a stylistic battle between the top two sides in a very tough Group E and could well prove to be a barometer of both countries' chances of competing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Emerse Faé has been in charge of the Elephants since January 2024 and has made a real mark on the team with his aggressive, high-pressing style.
Ivory Coast are incredibly explosive going forward with lots of width, pace and dynamism, particularly in their front three. They press the ball high and look to unsettle the opposition from the off.
They have some quality in midfield and defence in Sebastián Méndez and Piero Hincapié, respectively, and in Gonzalo Plata they have a true spark of creativity, who has provided three assists in his last five appearances.
- Franck Kessié is a driving force behind the team from deep, while the direct threat of Simon Adingra on the wings offers a huge threat to opposition defences.
- Ecuador will look to stop the game being open, and are well equipped to do so with their compact 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 structures, narrow lines in midfield, and a solid base.
- Sebastián Beccacece has been in charge since August 2024 and has really got the best out of this Ecuadoran side, who are a well-organised and tactically astute team.
Ecuador have the edge in the odds
Betting market:
The odds here do not give Ecuador enough credit for their unbeaten run, with the visitors quoted at 2.45, while Ivory Coast are 3.72 and the draw at 2.84. Under 2.5 goals is a very low 1.42, which is very low considering the bookies clearly expect a cagey game. It will be interesting to see if that market moves, but there will almost certainly be few clear-cut chances in this encounter.
Recent Ecuador form:
Ecuador are a stubborn side and have been impossible to beat in the last 10, but they haven't had the bite to turn draws into wins, especially away from home. They have played out three straight away draws, against Morocco and the Netherlands. They have conceded just 0.57 goals per-game across these games, but beat Saudi Arabia 2-1 at home in their most recent match.
A tight encounter looks on the cards
Ivory Coast have won seven of their last 10 games in all competitions (W7, D1, L2), and won their most recent three, although they have been impressive in all three of their games since the African Cup of Nations in March, away from home in France, Republic of Korea and Scotland (W3). At home, they've been rock solid, with two wins and a draw in their last three, and just one goal conceded in total.
We expect a tight contest in this game, but we're expecting Ecuador's defensive solidity to be tested by the in-form attackers for the Elephants. A low-scoring draw is the most likely outcome, but we wouldn't be surprised if Ecuador's discipline could just sneak a narrow victory.
