4 min learnUp to date: Jun 26, 2026 05:52 AM IST
With their followers chanting ‘Sí, se puede’ (that means ‘sure, we are able to’) within the stands on the New York New Jersey stadium, Ecuador shocked four-time champions Germany 2-1 to safe their spot within the Spherical of 32 on the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Friday.
“It’s not about what it means to me; that is for the folks,” mentioned Sebastian Beccacece, Ecuador coach after the win. “The gamers have given them this qualification. Allow them to have a good time and revel in it.”
Regardless of the defeat, Germany will nonetheless keep on prime of Group E whereas Ecuador will doubtless qualify because the third-placed staff from the group.
Within the different sport from Group E, which was being performed concurrently, Ivory Coast defeated Curacao 2-0. After each the video games, Germany and Ivory Coast each have six factors with two wins and a loss every whereas Ecuador had a win, a loss and a draw of their group stage encounters. Targets from Nicolas Pépé in every half helped Ivory Coast advance to the World Cup knockout spherical for the primary time within the West African staff’s historical past.
The Germans will play their spherical of 32 sport on Monday at Foxborough, Massachusetts, most probably in opposition to Paraguay, Australia or Sweden.
Germany coach: ‘An excessive amount of freestyle’
In a sport the place Germany took the lead within the second minute itself, due to a objective from Leroy Sane, Ecuador levelled within the ninth minute, by Nilson Angulo earlier than a 78th minute winner from Gonzalo Plata. When Angulo curled the ball by the legs of Aleksandar Pavlovic, past the determined dive of Manuel Neuer, it was the South American nation’s first objective on the ongoing FIFA World Cup after that they had taken 39 pictures of their opening two video games however with out scoring.
Ecuador’s second objective, from Plata, got here off a nook when he snuck forward of his marker and caught his boot out to nick the ball into objective half a second earlier than Manuel Neuer’s gloves may seize at it.
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“We had been actually wanting ahead to this earlier than the World Cup started. It feels completely different right now as a result of we struggled a lot within the first two matches,” mentioned an emotional Plata. “It’s higher this manner; it’s a studying expertise for us, and now we’ll go into the following spherical much more hungry for glory. This staff believes strongly in itself. We now have 26 gamers who will give their all for Ecuador. We’ve crammed stadiums all over the place, our followers made us really feel at residence in each stadium. They deserve this greater than anybody.”
Germany had a penalty resolution from the on-field referee over-ruled by the VAR lower than 30 seconds into the second half. Joel Ordóñez introduced down Kai Havertz, which led to the penalty resolution. However a video evaluate dominated that Sané had first fouled Vite.
“We now have to study that after a great begin and an early lead, we are able to play with extra composure as a substitute of all of a sudden switching positions an excessive amount of. There was an excessive amount of freestyle,” mentioned Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann whereas speaking to German outlet ARD. “We simply must be extra affected person and keep a bit extra structured in our positions. And if on prime of that we’re giving the ball away too usually, sooner or later it turns into troublesome.”
Germany captain Joshua Kimmich was much more direct in his criticism of the staff.
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“We began properly, however then we gave the ball away too cheaply and stored inviting them on. We made it straightforward for them and allow them to develop into the sport. Within the second half, the defeat was deserved,” Kimmich mentioned.
Ecuador at the moment are within the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup for the second time following their run to the spherical of 16 in 2006.
Coming into the conflict with Ecuador, Germany had suffered simply three defeats of their final 16 encounters (successful 11 video games and drawing two). However regardless of their marketing campaign beginning with the heavy 7-1 victory over Curacao, Germany haven’t been in a position to hold a single clear sheet to this point with the lately un-retired Manuel Neuer below the bar for the Germans.
The truth is, the sport in opposition to Ecuador was the 9 successive World Cup sport the place Germany have leaked a objective.