MetLife Stadium shook as Ecuador celebrated a 2-1 victory over Germany that sent them into the World Cup round of 32. According to the match report, Gonzala Plata scored in the 77th minute to complete the comeback, sparking wild scenes among substitutes and supporters while coach Sebastián Beccacece embraced a loved one behind the dugout.
Germany, coached by Julian Nagelsmann and fielding a strong side with David Raum and Antonio Rüdiger replacing Nathaniel Brown and Nico Schlotterbeck, had already secured top spot in Group E. They struck early when Leroy Sané finished in the second minute, a play that followed an apparent kick on Ecuador’s Pedro Vite by Aleksandar Pavlovic that VAR chose not to review.
Just seven minutes after Sané’s opener, Vite won possession and fed Nilson Angulo, whose fierce shot flew through Pavlovic’s legs and into the far corner for Ecuador’s equalizer. The goal was Ecuador’s first from open play in a competitive match since March 2025; the team had gone into the game without a goal in the tournament despite 39 shots across two matches and facing Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room, who made a record 15 saves in a 90-minute match.
The second half brought a pivotal VAR intervention when a potential Germany penalty after Joel Ordóñez’s challenge on Kai Havertz was overturned because of a preceding foul by Sané on Vite. Beccacece’s substitutions — Enner Valencia and Alan Franco for Kevin Rodríguez and Ángelo Preciado — shifted momentum. Rodríguez flicked on a corner and Plata stabbed the ball home, with Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer slow to react; Nagelsmann called for a different defensive approach, saying, “I think it has to be defended differently. It is very difficult for the goalie to make a difference there.”
Beccacece, born in Argentina and booed by some Ecuador fans at the tournament, hailed the crowd and the team’s resilience. “Today we’ve beaten the record for the third time — three full stadiums full of Ecuadorian people,” he said, adding that the squad must “enjoy this journey” and “remain united.” The victory followed Ecuador’s 19-game unbeaten run being snapped by Ivory Coast and a draw with Curacao earlier in the tournament.
