Ecuador secured a memorable place in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 after defeating Germany 2-1 in their final Group E match, with Gonzalo Plata scoring a late winner to complete a stunning comeback.
Despite the defeat, Germany finished top of Group E and also progressed to the knockout stage, while Ecuador advanced as one of the tournament’s third-placed qualifiers.
Germany made a dream start, taking the lead less than two minutes into the contest through Leroy Sané. After a swift attacking move, Sané received the ball on the edge of the penalty area before calmly firing a low shot into the bottom corner to give the Germans an early advantage.
The Europeans dominated possession throughout the opening half, controlling 62 per cent of the ball and dictating the tempo, while Ecuador adopted a compact defensive approach, sitting deep and looking to exploit opportunities on the counterattack.
Ecuador responded in the ninth minute when Nilson Angulo produced a spectacular long-range strike to level the scores. The midfielder collected a pass from Pedro Vite before unleashing an unstoppable effort from outside the penalty area that beat German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
Germany appeared to have an opportunity to regain the lead shortly after halftime when Kai Havertz went down inside the penalty area and the referee initially awarded a penalty. However, following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, the decision was overturned.
Ecuador completed the comeback in the 77th minute through Plata. The forward latched onto a pass from Kevin Rodríguez inside the box before curling a left-footed effort into the top-right corner beyond Neuer to secure a famous victory.
The result ensured Ecuador’s progression to the knockout stage as a third-placed finisher, while Germany’s superior points tally was enough to see them top Group E despite suffering defeat.
Ecuador’s victory capped an impressive group-stage campaign and earned the South Americans a place in the Round of 32, where they will look to continue their remarkable World Cup journey.
