Overview
- Ecuador came from behind to beat Germany after Leroy Sané opened the scoring early and Nilson Angulo equalized with a long-range goal.
- Kevin Rodríguez headed a ball that Gonzalo Plata touched in at the 77th minute to deliver the 2–1 winner and Ecuador’s first goals of the tournament.
- Costa de Marfil’s simultaneous 2–0 victory over Curazao left Germany top of Group E, Costa de Marfil second, and Ecuador third with four points.
- The win on Thursday, June 25, 2026, sends Ecuador through as one of the best third-placed teams and means the team must await bracket math to learn its round-of-16 opponent.
- The result validated coach Sebastián Beccacece’s tactical adjustments and preserved Ecuador’s World Cup campaign while broadcasters across multiple markets carried live coverage.