New Jersey, USA – Ecuador achieved a historic 2-1 victory over Germany in their final group stage match of the 2026 World Cup. This win allowed the Ecuadorian team to overturn a deficit and secure a place in the Round of 32 as one of the best third-placed teams.
The German team started the match strongly and managed to open the scoring early after Florian Wirtz sent a perfect pass to Leroy Sané. Sané volleyed the ball into the net in the third minute.
But Ecuador’s response was swift, with Nelson Angulo leveling the score in the tenth minute with a rocket shot from outside the penalty area. This strike brought the game back to square one.
The German team tried to regain their lead before the end of the first half, and Jamal Musiala almost scored on two occasions. The first was a shot that went just wide of the post. The second was deflected by a defender and went out for a corner kick. Thus, the first half ended in a 1-1 draw.
As the second half began, both teams exchanged attacking attempts, but Ecuador appeared more organized in exploiting the spaces. Meanwhile, Germany squandered a clear opportunity in the 77th minute when Leroy Sané found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but the Ecuadorian keeper made a brilliant save.
Just two minutes later, Ecuador punished their opponents for the missed opportunity. A corner kick found Kevin Rodrigues, who headed the ball down for Gonzalo Plata. Plata then slotted the ball into the net, scoring the winning goal in the 79th minute.
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— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) June 25, 2026Ecuador held onto their lead until the final whistle, securing a valuable victory over Germany and qualifying for the Round of 32 as one of the best third-placed teams. Germany, having already qualified, continued their campaign in the tournament.
