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Ecuador managed at the last minute to open their goal account at the 2026 World Cup by beating Germany (2-1) on Thursday in East Rutherford (New Jersey) and join them in the round of 16, securing third place in Group E.
Ecuador just managed to open their goal account at the 2026 World Cup by beating Germany (2-1) on Thursday in East Rutherford (New Jersey), securing a spot in the round of 16 as the third-place team in Group E.
Failing to reach this stage of the tournament would have been a huge disappointment for a team led by young talents like Chelsea midfielder Moisés Caicedo and defenders from PSG and Arsenal, Willian Pacho and Piero Hincapié.
Their next match will be against the winner of Group A, B, D, G, K, or L.
Already sure of topping the group even before this match, the Mannschaft, which will be playing its first knockout stage in a World Cup since its 2014 title, will face on Monday in Boston the third-place team from group A, B, C, D, or F.
“Not knowing before Sunday who we will play against isn’t ideal,” admitted coach Julian Nagelsmann in a press conference on Wednesday. “There’s a bit of time pressure, but I think we can handle it.”
His staff has “studied” the potential opponents, and the goal is to be “well enough prepared by Saturday night so that Sunday isn’t too hectic.”At MetLife Stadium on Thursday afternoon, his team, coming off eleven consecutive wins, opened the scoring in the 2nd minute with a low shot from Leroy Sané, set up by a back pass from Florian Wirtz.
Just before that play, their teammate Aleksandar Pavlović had hit Pedro Vite in the face with his foot while going up for the ball, but American referee Tori Penso, without consulting VAR, didn’t call a foul.
Relief
The Ecuadorian response didn’t take long, and Nilson Angulo equalized from the edge of the penalty area in the 9th minute.
A relief for his team, one of only three (along with Turkey and Haiti) that hadn’t scored in their first two games.
