It’s the CAF-CONMEBOL defence-off in the next FIFA World Cup 2026 match.
Cote d’Ivoire went through the whole of qualifying without conceding a goal, while Ecuador shipped on just five occasions in 18 qualification fixtures.
Their match at the Philadelphia Stadium kicks off at 00:00 BST.
TEAM NEWS
Given their defensive record in qualification, it’s no surprise that Ecuador’s five most-owned players are all members of the backline.
Four of them, defenders Willian Pacho ($4.4m), Joel Ordonez ($3.9m) and Piero Hincapie ($4.7m), plus goalkeeper Hernan Galindez ($4.2m), start.
But Pervis Estupinan ($4.8m), who sits in 2.7% of Fantasy squads, has to content himself with a place among the substitutes this evening.
Head coach Sebastián Beccacece also prefers Alan Minda ($4.9m) over Sunderland’s Nilson Angulo ($6.0m) out wide.
As for Cote d’Ivoire, boss Emerse Faé almost goes with the same team that started the friendly win over France earlier this month.
There are two alterations in attack: Nicolas Pepe ($5.9m) and Bazoumana Toure ($4.5m) in for Simon Adingra ($5.6m) and Oumar Diakite ($5.3m).
Amad Diallo ($5.9m) is only among the substitutes.
Ecuador’s Pacho, in 5.8% of squads, is the only player on show tonight who won’t qualify for Scouting Bonus.
LINE-UPS
Cote d’Ivoire XI: Fofana, Doue, Singo, Agbadou, Konan, Toure, Kessie, Fofana, Y Diomande, Wahi, Pepe.
Subs: Kone, Lafont, Adingra, Bonny, Diakite, Diallo, O Diomande, Guessand, Guiagon, Inao Oulai, Kossounou, Ndicka, Operi, Sangare, Seri.
Ecuador XI: Galindez, Hincapie, Ordonez, Pacho, Minda, Franco, M Caicedo, Vite, Yeboah, Plata, E Valencia.
Subs: Ramirez, Valle, Alcivar, Angulo, Arevalo, J Caicedo, Castillo, Estupinan, Medina, Paez, Porozo, Preciado, Rodriguez, Torres, A Valencia.
