Ecuador 2-1 Germany: Full Match Report, Score, Goals & How Ecuador Qualified for World Cup 2026 Knockouts

Ecuador pulled off a stunning 2–1 comeback win over Germany at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on June 25, 2026, advancing to the World Cup knockout stage as one of the eight best third-placed teams.

Final Score and Goal Scorers

Team	Goals	Scorers
Ecuador	2	Nilson Angulo 9', Gonzalo Plata 77'
Germany	1	Leroy Sané 2'

Venue: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ | Attendance: 80,663 | Referee: Tori Penso

Key Match Events

• 2nd minute – Leroy Sané opens the scoring: Sané swept in a first-time shot from Florian Wirtz's lay-off to put Germany ahead after just 109 seconds. Ecuador were incensed that a foul was not called earlier in the buildup when Aleksandar Pavlovic caught Pedro Vite in the head with a high boot.
• 9th minute – Nilson Angulo equalizes: The Sunderland winger drilled a low 20-yard shot past Manuel Neuer after Felix Nmecha lost possession in his own half.
• 57th minute – Penalty overturned: Kai Havertz thought he had won a penalty when Joel Ordonez upended him in the box, but VAR overturned it after spotting a foul by Sané on Vite in the buildup.
• 77th minute – Gonzalo Plata's winner: Kevin Rodriguez flicked on a corner, and Plata stabbed home from close range in front of Neuer to complete the comeback.

Nilson Angulo: Player of the Match

The 23-year-old Sunderland winger, making his first World Cup start, was named official Man of the Match after scoring the equalizer and being a constant menace down the left flank.

How Ecuador Qualified as a Best Third-Placed Team

Ecuador entered the match with only 1 point from two games (a 0–0 draw with Curacao after losing 1–0 to Ivory Coast) and had not scored all tournament. The win lifted them to 4 points, securing a spot in the Round of 32 as one of the eight highest-ranked third-placed teams across all groups. Germany had already clinched Group E with wins in their first two matches, while Ivory Coast beat Curacao 2–0 to finish second.

Final Group E Standings

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Germany	3	2	0	1	7	3	+4	6	Round of 32
2	Ivory Coast	3	2	0	1	4	2	+2	6	Round of 32
3	Ecuador	3	1	1	1	2	2	0	4	Round of 32 (best third-placed)
4	Curacao	3	0	1	2	0	6	-6	1	Eliminated

Quotes from Coaches and Players

Ecuador head coach Sebastián Beccacece: "It's not about what it means to me; this is for the people. The players have given them this qualification. Let them celebrate and enjoy it."

Match-winner Gonzalo Plata: "It was such an intense game. We know Germany are destined to be among the candidates to lift the trophy here. It was a very difficult game and we were able to take those two chances. In our two previous games, we couldn't do that and find the net. Thankfully, the confidence of the group was intact, and we could turn the situation around. We've filled stadiums everywhere, our fans made us feel at home in every stadium. They deserve this more than anyone. Now, we'll go into the next round even more hungry for glory."

Significance

The victory marked only Ecuador's second ever advancement from a World Cup group (the first was in 2006) and only their second World Cup win after conceding first (the previous being against Honduras in 2014). Germany's 11-match winning run was snapped, but they still advanced as group winners to face a third-placed team in Foxborough.