Ecuador kept their World Cup campaign alive as Gonzalo Plata’s winner completed a memorable come-from-behind victory over Germany to send them through to the last 32.
Leroy Sane controversially fired Germany ahead less than two minutes into the Group E clash, but Ecuador hit back through a fine strike from Sunderland winger Nilson Angulo.
Plata then prodded home from close range 13 minutes from time, sparking wild celebrations among a largely Ecuadorian crowd in New Jersey as the South Americans ensured they will advance as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
🇪🇨 2-1 🇩🇪
Gonzalo plata sends Ecuador into ecstasy as he gets to the ball before Neuer and put Ecuador ahead and in poll position for a best 3rd place spot
Meanwhile, a Nicolas Pepe double saw the Ivory Coast past Curacao 2-0 to progress from the group stage for the first time, finishing second in Group E.
Germany will travel to Foxborough for their last-32 tie against another third-placed finisher on Monday, in their first World Cup knockout match since lifting the trophy in 2014.
Ecuador’s victory further dents Scotland’s hopes of making it through to the last 32. Steve Clarke’s side – who have three points and a minus three goal difference – now drop down into the final eighth spot, but with other groups still to finish.
Julian Nagelsmann made two injury-enforced changes with Antonio Rudiger replacing Nico Schlotterbeck after the Borussia Dortmund defender was ruled out of the World Cup with ankle ligament damage.
David Raum came in for Nathaniel Brown at left-back, but Nagelsmann resisted the temptation to start Deniz Undav despite his heroics off the bench against the Ivory Coast when he scored both goals in the 2-1 win.
Germany, with top spot in the group already assured, took the lead in a manner that enraged an Ecuador side fighting to stay in the tournament after picking up just one point in their first two games.
🇪🇨 0-1 🇩🇪
Sane strikes just over a minute played, and Germany has taken the lead against Ecuador.
Sane swept in a first-time shot from Florian Wirtz’s lay-off in the area, but Ecuador were incensed that a foul was not given earlier in the move, when Aleksandar Pavlovic caught Pedro Vite in the head with a high boot.
The decision to let the goal stand sparked a furious reaction from Ecuador, who levelled seven minutes later as Angulo drilled low past Manuel Neuer from 20 yards after Felix Nmecha lost possession in his own half.
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🇪🇨 1-1 🇩🇪
Just like that, Ecuador are back in after a beautiful long-range strike from Nilson Angulo.
Kai Havertz tested Hernan Galindez with a header and then thought he had won a penalty less than 30 seconds after half-time when Joel Ordonez upended the Arsenal striker in the box.
VAR intervened on this occasion, to Ecuador’s evident relief, and the spot-kick was overturned after a foul by Sane on Vite in the build-up.
Nagelsmann turned to Undav on the hour, Germany’s super-sub with three goals so far at the tournament, but Ecuador knew they had to throw caution to the wind.
Enner Valencia’s fierce effort was beaten away by Neuer, before a defensive mix-up nearly opened the door for Ecuador.
Confusion between Neuer and Jonathan Tah almost let Kevin Rodriguez sneak in and Plata steered wide from the follow-up cross delivered by Moises Caicedo.
Sane had a glorious chance to put Germany back on top but shot tamely at Galindez, and Ecuador made the most of that escape as Plata rode to the rescue.
Rodriguez flicked on a corner and Plata stabbed home from right in front of Neuer to end Germany’s 11-match winning run and book Ecuador’s place in the knockout stage for only the second time, provoking tears of joy from their fans in the stands.
*********************
Ivory Coast 2
Curacao 0
Nicolas Pepe scored twice as Ivory Coast beat Curacao to reach the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time ever and bring the tiny Caribbean country’s run at the tournament to an end.
Former Arsenal forward Pepe, now playing in Spain for Villarreal, opened the scoring for the Elephants after just seven minutes in Philadelphia and netted again just after the hour mark.
Ivory Coast finish with six points in Group E with this victory following their opening 1-0 win over Ecuador and a 2-1 loss to Germany. They therefore go through in second place behind Germany on head-to-head.
The 2024 African champions had never previously got out of their group in three previous appearances at the World Cup, and their reward for this historic performance is a last-32 tie next Tuesday in Dallas.
That will be against the runners-up in Group I, which means a very tough test against either France – the country where Pepe and several other Ivorian players were born – or Norway.
Curacao, with its population of barely 160,000, had already made history just by being at the World Cup, but the smallest nation ever to reach the finals go home after finishing bottom of the section without a win.
Dick Advocaat’s team were thrashed 7-1 by Germany on their tournament debut, but the high point came in their next game as they withstood a barrage to hold Ecuador to a 0-0 draw.
They couldn’t repeat that performance here, but still did their fans proud in a game watched by a sell-out crowd of 68,324 at Lincoln Financial Field – such an attendance on a Thursday afternoon is proof that the World Cup has definitely made its mark on the United States.
Orange Ivory Coast shirts were visible all around the ground and their fans were soon celebrating as the opening goal arrived early.
Yan Diomande, one of the most exciting young talents at the tournament, was the provider as the RB Leipzig winger proved too sharp for his marker and cut the ball back for Pepe to turn it in.
🇨🇼 0-1 🇨🇮
IVORY COAST TAKE THE LEAD! Brilliant work from Diomande
Ten of the Curacao starting line-up were born in the Netherlands and many of their players have previously worn the orange of the Dutch national team at different levels, right up to the senior side.
They are certainly no mugs, and they did have chances here, like when Jurien Gaari sent a shot just past the post from range, and Leandro Bacuna dribbled into the box only to shoot wide late in the first half.
Sherel Floranus flashed an effort narrowly over not long after the restart, but Curacao could not recover after falling further behind in the 64th minute.
Ibrahim Sangare of Nottingham Forest made the goal with an excellent through ball for Pepe, who controlled inside the area before slotting beyond Eloy Room and into the far corner.
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Ecuador stun Germany to extend World Cup campaign
Ecuador 2
Germany 1
Ecuador kept their World Cup campaign alive as Gonzalo Plata’s winner completed a memorable come-from-behind victory over Germany to send them through to the last 32.
Leroy Sane controversially fired Germany ahead less than two minutes into the Group E clash, but Ecuador hit back through a fine strike from Sunderland winger Nilson Angulo.
Plata then prodded home from close range 13 minutes from time, sparking wild celebrations among a largely Ecuadorian crowd in New Jersey as the South Americans ensured they will advance as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
Meanwhile, a Nicolas Pepe double saw the Ivory Coast past Curacao 2-0 to progress from the group stage for the first time, finishing second in Group E.
Germany will travel to Foxborough for their last-32 tie against another third-placed finisher on Monday, in their first World Cup knockout match since lifting the trophy in 2014.
Ecuador’s victory further dents Scotland’s hopes of making it through to the last 32. Steve Clarke’s side – who have three points and a minus three goal difference – now drop down into the final eighth spot, but with other groups still to finish.
Julian Nagelsmann made two injury-enforced changes with Antonio Rudiger replacing Nico Schlotterbeck after the Borussia Dortmund defender was ruled out of the World Cup with ankle ligament damage.
David Raum came in for Nathaniel Brown at left-back, but Nagelsmann resisted the temptation to start Deniz Undav despite his heroics off the bench against the Ivory Coast when he scored both goals in the 2-1 win.
Germany, with top spot in the group already assured, took the lead in a manner that enraged an Ecuador side fighting to stay in the tournament after picking up just one point in their first two games.
Sane swept in a first-time shot from Florian Wirtz’s lay-off in the area, but Ecuador were incensed that a foul was not given earlier in the move, when Aleksandar Pavlovic caught Pedro Vite in the head with a high boot.
The decision to let the goal stand sparked a furious reaction from Ecuador, who levelled seven minutes later as Angulo drilled low past Manuel Neuer from 20 yards after Felix Nmecha lost possession in his own half.
Kai Havertz tested Hernan Galindez with a header and then thought he had won a penalty less than 30 seconds after half-time when Joel Ordonez upended the Arsenal striker in the box.
VAR intervened on this occasion, to Ecuador’s evident relief, and the spot-kick was overturned after a foul by Sane on Vite in the build-up.
Nagelsmann turned to Undav on the hour, Germany’s super-sub with three goals so far at the tournament, but Ecuador knew they had to throw caution to the wind.
Enner Valencia’s fierce effort was beaten away by Neuer, before a defensive mix-up nearly opened the door for Ecuador.
Confusion between Neuer and Jonathan Tah almost let Kevin Rodriguez sneak in and Plata steered wide from the follow-up cross delivered by Moises Caicedo.
Sane had a glorious chance to put Germany back on top but shot tamely at Galindez, and Ecuador made the most of that escape as Plata rode to the rescue.
Rodriguez flicked on a corner and Plata stabbed home from right in front of Neuer to end Germany’s 11-match winning run and book Ecuador’s place in the knockout stage for only the second time, provoking tears of joy from their fans in the stands.
*********************
Ivory Coast 2
Curacao 0
Nicolas Pepe scored twice as Ivory Coast beat Curacao to reach the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time ever and bring the tiny Caribbean country’s run at the tournament to an end.
Former Arsenal forward Pepe, now playing in Spain for Villarreal, opened the scoring for the Elephants after just seven minutes in Philadelphia and netted again just after the hour mark.
Ivory Coast finish with six points in Group E with this victory following their opening 1-0 win over Ecuador and a 2-1 loss to Germany. They therefore go through in second place behind Germany on head-to-head.
The 2024 African champions had never previously got out of their group in three previous appearances at the World Cup, and their reward for this historic performance is a last-32 tie next Tuesday in Dallas.
That will be against the runners-up in Group I, which means a very tough test against either France – the country where Pepe and several other Ivorian players were born – or Norway.
Curacao, with its population of barely 160,000, had already made history just by being at the World Cup, but the smallest nation ever to reach the finals go home after finishing bottom of the section without a win.
Dick Advocaat’s team were thrashed 7-1 by Germany on their tournament debut, but the high point came in their next game as they withstood a barrage to hold Ecuador to a 0-0 draw.
They couldn’t repeat that performance here, but still did their fans proud in a game watched by a sell-out crowd of 68,324 at Lincoln Financial Field – such an attendance on a Thursday afternoon is proof that the World Cup has definitely made its mark on the United States.
Orange Ivory Coast shirts were visible all around the ground and their fans were soon celebrating as the opening goal arrived early.
Yan Diomande, one of the most exciting young talents at the tournament, was the provider as the RB Leipzig winger proved too sharp for his marker and cut the ball back for Pepe to turn it in.
Ten of the Curacao starting line-up were born in the Netherlands and many of their players have previously worn the orange of the Dutch national team at different levels, right up to the senior side.
They are certainly no mugs, and they did have chances here, like when Jurien Gaari sent a shot just past the post from range, and Leandro Bacuna dribbled into the box only to shoot wide late in the first half.
Sherel Floranus flashed an effort narrowly over not long after the restart, but Curacao could not recover after falling further behind in the 64th minute.
Ibrahim Sangare of Nottingham Forest made the goal with an excellent through ball for Pepe, who controlled inside the area before slotting beyond Eloy Room and into the far corner.
– © AFP 2026
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