Manchester United winger Amad Diallo continued his fine goal-scoring form at the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday night, netting the opener for Ivory Coast during their 3-0 win over Burkina Faso.
Diallo, who had scored twice in three matches heading into the round of 16 clash, added another goal to his impressive tally in the 20th minute of the game after intricately dribbling through Burkina Faso’s defence in the crowded penalty area.
After slaloming through with his quick feet, the Manchester United star showed awareness to chip the ball past the goalkeeper and into the roof of the net, sparking wild celebrations from the Ivory Coast fans.
Ivory Coast tightened their grip on the contest after Yan Diomande’s strike in the 32nd minute, before Bazoumana Toure put the game to bed with his team’s third late on.
The west African nation will now take on Mohamed Salah‘s Egypt in the quarter-finals following their 3-1 win over Benin on Monday.
Diallo, who along with Cameroon’s Bryan Mbeumo and Morocco’s Noussair Mazraoui left Manchester United for AFCON last month, has missed a chaotic start to the year at Old Trafford following dramatic dismissal of head coach Ruben Amorim.
Manchester United’s Amad Diallo continued his fine goal-scoring form at the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday, netting the opener for Ivory Coast during their 3-0 win over Burkina Faso
He intricately dribbled through Burkina Faso’s defence before chipping the ball into the net
The Portuguese boss was sacked by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos on Monday after he hit out at the club’s hierarchy in an explosive outburst after Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Leeds last weekend.
Former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher has been given the reins temporarily as caretaker boss ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Burnley while the club searches for an interim head coach to take over until the end of the season.
Diallo had established himself as a key player under Amorim prior to his exit for AFCON but was primarily used out of position in the right wing-back role.
United’s £71m marquee summer signing Mbeumo, who has impressed since his move from Brentford, was preferred in Diallo’s natural right wing position as Amorim continued to persist with his favoured 3-4-3 formation.
The 23-year-old star’s excellent goal-scoring form at AFCON has come in his natural attacking role on the right flank for Ivory Coast, which may give Fletcher and United’s incoming interim some food for thought over where to place Diallo upon his return.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has emerged as a leading contender to become Manchester United’s interim head coach until the end of the season, which would mark an emotional return to Old Trafford.
Solskjaer, whose success as a temporary replacement for Jose Mourinho in December 2018 led to him landing the job on a permanent basis for almost another three years, was pictured shopping near his home in Cheshire on Tuesday.
The Norwegian is high on a list of potential replacements for Amorim that features Fletcher and two other ex-United players – Michael Carrick and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The Ivory Coast star had established himself as a key player under Ruben Amorim prior to his exit for AFCON but was primarily used out of position in the right wing-back role
United are understood to have held talks with Solskjaer and Carrick on Tuesday.
Carrick previously stepped in as caretaker for three games after Solskjaer was sacked in November 2021, while Van Nistelrooy had four games in charge when United axed Erik ten Hag in October 2024.
