Ecuador stunned Germany 2-1 to reach the FIFA World Cup Round of 32, with Gonzalo Plata scoring a late winner despite Leroy Sane’s early goal.New Jersey Stadium: Ecuador came from behind to beat four-time champions Germany 2-1 through Gonzalo Plata’s late strike to secure their spot in the Round of 32, only the second time in their history after a similar achievement in 2006.
The victory has confirmed Ecuador’s place in the knockouts as one of the best eight third-placed teams. Germany, despite defeat, still top the section thanks to their superior goal difference over Ivory Coast, who also finished with six points.
Germany took the lead after just two minutes through Leroy Sane, although the goal was surrounded by controversy. Sane’s second-minute strike was Germany’s second-fastest World Cup goal, behind only Ernst Lehner’s first-minute effort in the 1934 third-place match against Austria (a 3-2 German victory).
Ecuador took just seven minutes to respond as they finally broke their duck at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The source was not Enner Valencia, making a record ninth World Cup appearance for his country. Rather, it was midfielder Nilson Angulo, brought in for his first start here in North America.
Pablo Vite picked up a loose ball in Germany’s half and fed Angulo who, finding space to shoot just outside the D, fired through the legs of Aleksandar Pavlovic and beyond the dive of Manuel Neuer.
The second half began with a Germany penalty award that referee Tori Penso overturned after a VAR review owing to an earlier foul by Sane on Vite. It took until the last quarter, though, for the real drama to arrive.
Ecuador completed the turnaround in the 77th minute. Vite delivered a corner, Kevin Rodriguez flicked the ball on at the near post and Gonzalo Plata reacted quickest in front of goal, stretching out a foot to send it beneath the crossbar after Neuer had been drawn out of position. Agencies
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