Ivory Coast and winger Yan Diomande, a former DME Academy soccer player, are moving on to the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 for the first time in the country's history.
The Ivorians beat Curaçao 2-0 on June 25 to clinch their spot in the knockouts as Group E's runner-up behind Germany. Ivory Coast previously beat Ecuador 1-0 in its first match of the tournament before falling 2-1 to the Germans on June 20.
Still, Ivory Coast's six points were easily enough to propel it to the elimination rounds, and Diomande was a permanent fixture for the Elephants.
Nicolas Pepe scored a brace against Curaçao, but Diomande was the one to deliver the ******* ist for Pepe's 7th-minute opener. It was a national record for Diomande, who became the youngest player in Ivory Coast's history to be directly involved in a World Cup goal at 19 years and 223 days old.
Diomande, who played high school soccer for Daytona Beach's DME Academy from 2022-24, also became the only player since 2000 to complete 10 dribbles and create 10 chances in his first three FIFA World Cup games.
The Ivorians beat Curaçao 2-0 on June 25 to clinch their spot in the knockouts as Group E's runner-up behind Germany. Ivory Coast previously beat Ecuador 1-0 in its first match of the tournament before falling 2-1 to the Germans on June 20.
Still, Ivory Coast's six points were easily enough to propel it to the elimination rounds, and Diomande was a permanent fixture for the Elephants.
Nicolas Pepe scored a brace against Curaçao, but Diomande was the one to deliver the ******* ist for Pepe's 7th-minute opener. It was a national record for Diomande, who became the youngest player in Ivory Coast's history to be directly involved in a World Cup goal at 19 years and 223 days old.
Diomande, who played high school soccer for Daytona Beach's DME Academy from 2022-24, also became the only player since 2000 to complete 10 dribbles and create 10 chances in his first three FIFA World Cup games.
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