Ecuador rallied from a goal down to stun Germany 2-1 in Group E of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, securing a place in the Round of 32 as one of the tournament's eight best third-placed teams, according to Xinhua.
Match Details
Leroy Sane put Germany ahead early with a first-time finish that beat Ecuador goalkeeper Hernan Galindez at his near post. Nilson Angulo leveled the match with a superb 20-yard strike into the far corner, and Gonzalo Plata completed the comeback in the 77th minute, combining with Kevin Rodriguez before slotting the winner past Manuel Neuer.
“We came to life here,” Ecuador coach Sebastian Beccacece said after the match. “Sometimes we feel the pain of defeat but sometimes also the satisfaction of a victory. What is important is to strike a balance. This will not change my life but we want to enjoy the moment.”
Germany's Perspective
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann rued his side's lapse in concentration after taking the lead. “We got off to a great start,” Nagelsmann said. “Unfortunately, right after scoring, we started committing tactical suicide with our positioning. That makes things difficult.”
Germany still topped Group E with six points, while Ecuador finished third with four points but progressed as one of the best third-placed teams.
Other Group Results
In Group D, Australia advanced after playing Paraguay to a scoreless draw at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. Jordan Bos created Australia's best chances, forcing Orlando Gill into a first-half save before narrowly missing the target later in the match. Paraguay nearly snatched victory in the 83rd minute, but Jackson Irvine blocked Julio Enciso's goal-bound shot. The Socceroos finished second behind the United States, while Paraguay ended third with four points but failed to advance.
Japan also booked its place in the knockout stage after a 1-1 draw with Sweden in Dallas, Xinhua reported. Daizen Maeda gave Japan the lead after latching onto Ritsu Doan's through ball, but Newcastle United forward Anthony Elanga equalized in the second half with a low strike through a crowded penalty area. Japan finished second in Group F with five points, one ahead of Sweden, which also moved on as one of the best third-placed teams.
Elsewhere in Group E, Nicolas Pepe scored in the seventh and 64th minutes to power Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) to a 2-0 victory over Curacao in Philadelphia. The result secured the African side second place in the group with six points and its first-ever berth in the World Cup knockout stage.
The Netherlands claimed the Group F title with a 3-1 victory over already-eliminated Tunisia in Kansas City. An Ellyes Skhiri own goal and a Brian Brobbey strike put the Dutch in control before Hazem Mastouri pulled one back. Jan Paul van Hecke restored the two-goal advantage with a deflected finish.
In Los Angeles, Turkiye rallied from an early deficit to beat the United States, 3-2, in a match that had no impact on the final Group D standings. Arda Guler, Baris Alper Yilmaz and Kaan Ayhan scored for Turkiye, while Auston Trusty and Sebastian Berhalter found the net for the co-hosts. Despite the defeat, the United States still topped the group with six points, while Turkiye had already been eliminated after losing its first two matches.
