Backs against the wall, Ecuador conjure World Cup ...
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- Ecuador overturned an early deficit to beat Germany 2-1 at MetLife Stadium, with Gonzalo Plata's 77th-minute strike sending them into the round of 32 and sparking wild celebrations among the yellow-clad fans
- Germany struck first through Leroy Sané in the 2nd minute, but had already secured top spot in Group E and fielded a rotated side — Julian Nagelsmann made two changes from the Ivory Coast win
- Ecuador had been goalless entering the match, firing 39 shots across their first two games without scoring; Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room set a World Cup record with 15 saves against them, and Nilson Angulo's equalizer was their first open-play goal in a competitive match since March 2025 — more than 11 hours of play
- VAR played a decisive role: Aleksandar Pavlovic appeared to kick Pedro Vite in the face in the buildup to Germany's opener with no intervention, but later overturned a Germany penalty for a Sané foul on the same Vite
- Sebastián Beccacece, the Argentine-born Ecuador coach booed by fans before kickoff despite arriving with a 19-game unbeaten run, apologized to supporters who haven't 'clicked' with him and said Ecuadorians 'need to enjoy this journey'
- Nagelsmann blamed the dry MetLife pitch for Germany's struggles, saying 'it stops very, very quick,' as Germany failed to capitalize on counterattacking opportunities in the final 20 minutes plus stoppage time
Why it matters: Ecuador had failed to score in their first two group games — 39 shots, zero goals, and a World Cup-record 15 saves conceded against Curacao — before Angulo's equalizer and Plata's 77th-minute winner broke the drought against a rotated Germany side that had already clinched Group E. The result sends Ecuador into the round of 32 and buys Beccacece, booed by fans despite a 19-game unbeaten run entering the tournament, a reprieve from a mounting backlash over performances well below expectations.
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