Gonzalo Plata was the hero as Ecuador booked their place in the last 32. Look back on a thrilling conclusion to 2026 FIFA World Cup Group E with our Ecuador vs Germany stats page.
Ecuador joined Germany in the World Cup knockout stages in dramatic fashion after coming from behind to beat the Group E winners 2-1 on Thursday.
Gonzalo Plata scored a 78th-minute winner at New York New Jersey Stadium â where Nilson Angulo cancelled out Leroy SanĂ©âs opener inside the opening 10 minutes â to snatch qualification as one of the best third-placed teams.
Ecuador needed to win to stand any chance of progressing, while relying on a favour from Ivory Coast, who delivered just that by beating Curaçao 2-0.
However, they fell behind inside just two minutes.
Germany, who were fortunate not to be penalised for Aleksandar Pavlovicâs high foot catching Pedro Vite on the head, took advantage of their reprieve, with Florian Wirtz teeing up SanĂ© to sweep past HernĂĄn Galindez.
Yet Ecuador got back on level terms just seven minutes later, breaking their duck after 242 minutes without a World Cup goal, as Angulo curled through Pavlovicâs legs and beyond Manuel Neuer from 20 yards out.
Nagelsmannâs side continued to provide the greater attacking threat, though. Kai Havertz headed straight at the goalkeeper from a David Raum cross, while Joel Ordóñez made a superb block to deny Jamal Musiala.
Havertz thought he had earned Germany a penalty in the opening minute of the second half. However, the decision was reversed following a VAR review, with Sané adjudged to have fouled Vite in the lead up to the incident.
Enner Valencia, on his record-breaking appearance at the World Cup for Ecuador, tested Neuer with a fierce long-range drive at the other end, before he made way for Kevin RodrĂguez in the 64th minute.
The substitute played a crucial role as Ecuador completed the turnaround 12 minutes from time, flicking on a corner towards Plata, who beat Neuer to the ball and poked it into the roof of the net.
Deniz Undav hit the side-netting as Germany pushed for an equaliser, but SebastiĂĄn Beccaceceâs side held out to book their place in the last 32, with England a potential opponent.
Beccacece Bounces Back From the Brink
Germany, who had top spot in Group E secured already, made a quick start in their quest to win all three World Cup group games for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2006. They were also aiming to win a 12th straight match, which would have equalled their national record.
Sané, in his 15th major tournament appearance for his country, finally got his first goal at either a World Cup of the Euros with a neat finish after just 109 seconds to get Germany off to an ideal start.
However, Germanyâs recent inability to keep a clean sheet at the finals was always going to encourage Ecuador and, with their 40th attempt of the competition, they grabbed their first goal of this edition.
Anguloâs well-taken strike was well beyond the reach of Neuer, on the day the goalkeeper matched Lothar Matthaus and Miroslav Klose for the joint-most World Cup starts by a German player (22).
Germany have now equalled their longest run of World Cup games without registering a shutout (nine), and their defence will need to improve if they are to really threaten the big favourites.
Beccaceceâs decision to take off Valencia was met with a mixed reaction, but it was justified just 14 minutes later, with RodrĂguez glancing on a corner, before Plata applied the finishing touch, as Ecuador came from behind to win a World Cup match for the first time since 2014.
Upsetting the odds is something Ecuador have grown accustomed to. This is the side that finished second in CONMEBOL qualifying, despite starting the campaign in September 2023 with a three-point deduction.
Fast-forward nearly three years, though, and they are through to the World Cup knockout stages for only the second time, 20 years after their only previous venture beyond the groups.
Our Opta match centre delivers you all the Ecuador vs Germany stats from their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group E meeting at New York New Jersey Stadium on 25 June.
The match centre below includes team and player stats, expected goals data, passing networks, an Opta chalkboard and more. It gives you everything you need to do your own match analysis.
Underneath the match centre you can find the official Opta stats on the game as well.
Ecuador vs Germany: Post-Match Opta Facts
Gonzalo Plataâs winner was the 20th goal scored via a corner at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the fourth edition of the tournament on record (since 1966) to see 20 or more after 2014 (26), 2018 (26) and 1998 (21).
Germany have now failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last nine FIFA World Cup games, which is their joint-longest run at the tournament along with their opening nine matches across 1934 and 1954; their last shutout came in the 2014 final against Argentina.
Since the start of the 1998 FIFA World Cup, this is just the second time Germany have lost a game at the tournament in which they opened the scoring (W25 D2) following a 1-2 loss to Japan in 2022.
Ecuador have lost just one of their last 22 matches in all competitions (W9 D12), with this their first win over European opposition since a 3-2 win over Portugal in February 2013 (D5 L4 since prior to today).
This was just the second time that Ecuador have won a game at the FIFA World Cup in which theyâve trailed, following a 2-1 win over Honduras in 2014.
Enjoy this? Add Opta Analyst as a preferred source by clicking here.
Ecuador joined Germany in the World Cup knockout stages in dramatic fashion after coming from behind to beat the Group E winners 2-1 on Thursday.
Gonzalo Plata scored a 78th-minute winner at New York New Jersey Stadium â where Nilson Angulo cancelled out Leroy SanĂ©âs opener inside the opening 10 minutes â to snatch qualification as one of the best third-placed teams.
Ecuador needed to win to stand any chance of progressing, while relying on a favour from Ivory Coast, who delivered just that by beating Curaçao 2-0.
However, they fell behind inside just two minutes.
Germany, who were fortunate not to be penalised for Aleksandar Pavlovicâs high foot catching Pedro Vite on the head, took advantage of their reprieve, with Florian Wirtz teeing up SanĂ© to sweep past HernĂĄn Galindez.
Yet Ecuador got back on level terms just seven minutes later, breaking their duck after 242 minutes without a World Cup goal, as Angulo curled through Pavlovicâs legs and beyond Manuel Neuer from 20 yards out.
Nagelsmannâs side continued to provide the greater attacking threat, though. Kai Havertz headed straight at the goalkeeper from a David Raum cross, while Joel Ordóñez made a superb block to deny Jamal Musiala.
Havertz thought he had earned Germany a penalty in the opening minute of the second half. However, the decision was reversed following a VAR review, with Sané adjudged to have fouled Vite in the lead up to the incident.
Enner Valencia, on his record-breaking appearance at the World Cup for Ecuador, tested Neuer with a fierce long-range drive at the other end, before he made way for Kevin RodrĂguez in the 64th minute.
The substitute played a crucial role as Ecuador completed the turnaround 12 minutes from time, flicking on a corner towards Plata, who beat Neuer to the ball and poked it into the roof of the net.
Deniz Undav hit the side-netting as Germany pushed for an equaliser, but SebastiĂĄn Beccaceceâs side held out to book their place in the last 32, with England a potential opponent.
Beccacece Bounces Back From the Brink
Germany, who had top spot in Group E secured already, made a quick start in their quest to win all three World Cup group games for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2006. They were also aiming to win a 12th straight match, which would have equalled their national record.
Sané, in his 15th major tournament appearance for his country, finally got his first goal at either a World Cup of the Euros with a neat finish after just 109 seconds to get Germany off to an ideal start.
However, Germanyâs recent inability to keep a clean sheet at the finals was always going to encourage Ecuador and, with their 40th attempt of the competition, they grabbed their first goal of this edition.
Anguloâs well-taken strike was well beyond the reach of Neuer, on the day the goalkeeper matched Lothar Matthaus and Miroslav Klose for the joint-most World Cup starts by a German player (22).
Germany have now equalled their longest run of World Cup games without registering a shutout (nine), and their defence will need to improve if they are to really threaten the big favourites.
Beccaceceâs decision to take off Valencia was met with a mixed reaction, but it was justified just 14 minutes later, with RodrĂguez glancing on a corner, before Plata applied the finishing touch, as Ecuador came from behind to win a World Cup match for the first time since 2014.
Upsetting the odds is something Ecuador have grown accustomed to. This is the side that finished second in CONMEBOL qualifying, despite starting the campaign in September 2023 with a three-point deduction.
Fast-forward nearly three years, though, and they are through to the World Cup knockout stages for only the second time, 20 years after their only previous venture beyond the groups.
Our Opta match centre delivers you all the Ecuador vs Germany stats from their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group E meeting at New York New Jersey Stadium on 25 June.
The match centre below includes team and player stats, expected goals data, passing networks, an Opta chalkboard and more. It gives you everything you need to do your own match analysis.
Underneath the match centre you can find the official Opta stats on the game as well.
Ecuador vs Germany: Post-Match Opta Facts
Gonzalo Plataâs winner was the 20th goal scored via a corner at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the fourth edition of the tournament on record (since 1966) to see 20 or more after 2014 (26), 2018 (26) and 1998 (21).
Germany have now failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last nine FIFA World Cup games, which is their joint-longest run at the tournament along with their opening nine matches across 1934 and 1954; their last shutout came in the 2014 final against Argentina.
Since the start of the 1998 FIFA World Cup, this is just the second time Germany have lost a game at the tournament in which they opened the scoring (W25 D2) following a 1-2 loss to Japan in 2022.
Ecuador have lost just one of their last 22 matches in all competitions (W9 D12), with this their first win over European opposition since a 3-2 win over Portugal in February 2013 (D5 L4 since prior to today).
This was just the second time that Ecuador have won a game at the FIFA World Cup in which theyâve trailed, following a 2-1 win over Honduras in 2014.
Enjoy this? Add Opta Analyst as a preferred source by clicking here.
