Ecuador rallies past Germany 2-1 to reach World Cup knockout stage

Gonzalo Plata poked the ball past Manuel Neuer from close range off a corner to seal Ecuador's 2-1 comeback win over Germany on Thursday.apnews+1
Leroy Sané scored in the second minute for Germany, but Nilson Angulo equalized in the ninth as Ecuador scored their first goal of the tournament.aljazeera
Ecuador advance to the knockout rounds for only the second time in their history, finishing third in Group E with four points.espn+1

Gonzalo Plata poked the ball past Manuel Neuer in the 77th minute on Thursday to send Ecuador into the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup with a 2-1 comeback victory over Germany at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.apnews+1

A Dramatic Turnaround

Ecuador entered the match needing a win to keep their tournament hopes alive after collecting just one point from their first two group games — a loss to Ivory Coast and a draw with Curaçao. Germany, having already clinched first place in Group E with victories in both of their opening matches, took the lead through Leroy Sané in just the second minute. But Ecuador responded quickly, with Sunderland winger Nilson Angulo scoring the South Americans' first goal of the tournament in the ninth minute to level the match.aljazeera+2

The winner came when substitute Kevin Rodríguez flicked on a corner kick toward the center of the box, where Plata stuck out a toe to stab the ball past Neuer from close range, sparking wild celebrations among the largely Ecuadorian crowd.sports.yahoo+1

Group E Settled

The result ended Germany's 11-match winning run but was of little consequence to Julian Nagelsmann's side, who had already secured their place as group winners. Ecuador finished third in Group E with four points and advanced as one of the eight best third-placed teams in the expanded 48-team format.espn+3

It marks only the second time Ecuador has reached the knockout rounds of a World Cup, following their round-of-16 appearance in 2006. In the group's other match, Ivory Coast advanced as runners-up after beating Curaçao 2-0 with a brace from Nicolas Pépé.sports.yahoo+1

What Comes Next

Germany will face a third-placed team from another group in the round of 32 on Monday, June 29, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, while Ivory Coast takes on the Group I runner-up at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the same day. Ecuador awaits confirmation of their knockout-round opponent as the remaining group-stage matches conclude.sports.yahoo

Sources (15)