EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Ecuador reached the World Cup round of 32 on Thursday as Gonzalo Plata’s 77th-minute strike sealed a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Germany to spark euphoric scenes at MetLife Stadium.
Sebastián Beccacece’s side knew only a win would avoid an embarrassing early exit after losing to Ivory Coast and drawing with Curaçao in their first two Group E games, but they fell behind in the second minute as Leroy Sané side-footed in the opener.
– VAR review: Germany goal came after boot to the head. So why was it allowed?
– How teams can qualify for knockout rounds
Ecuador believed goal should have been disallowed for a high boot by Aleksandar Pavlovic on Pedro Vite, but VAR chose not to intervene.
Nilson Angulo’s scored Ecuador’s first goal of the tournament to equalize on nine minutes before Plata completed a remarkable turnaround to prod home substitute Kevin Rodríguez’s flick-on from a corner.
Drinks were thrown in the air and substitutes ran on the field to celebrate before Ecuador saw out a tense final 13 minutes to complete victory in front of a 80,663-strong crowd dominated by yellow shirts.
“Today we’ve beaten the record for the third time — three full stadiums full of Ecuadorian people,” Beccacece said in a news conference.
“We need to enjoy this journey as well. Sometimes you have to struggle but the important thing is to remain united.”
Gonzalo Plata celebrates scoring Ecuador’s second goal against Germany at the 2026 World Cup. MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP via Getty Images
Argentinian-born Beccacece, who now leads Ecuador into the knockout rounds for just the second time and first since they reached the round of 16 in 2006, had faced criticism from supporters after the team’s slow start to the World Cup.
“I apologize to all of those who still haven’t clicked with me,” he added. “I am feeling very grateful to the entire people of Ecuador, who have travelled north to south in Ecuador believing in their team for many teams. I’ve always found a very kind, hard-working, grateful people. That’s what I’m trying to show.
“For as long as we are still alive, we need to seek the light. If we can’t find the light, we will deal with that sorrow, that pain when you don’t achieve what you dreamt of.
“But we are talking about an entire country that is now celebrating. So let them enjoy, have a beer and celebrate with their family.”
It is Ecuador’s first win over a UEFA opponent since 2013 and although they finish third in Group E — behind Germany, who had already qualified prior to Thursday’s game, and Ivory Coast — they are guaranteed to finish as one of the top-eight third-placed teams in the tournament.
“Life is different now. We suffered a lot,” said Plata, a 25-year-old winger who scored his ninth international goal. “We suffered too much in the first two matches.
“We would have liked to secure qualification much earlier, but now we’re going forward more hungry, knowing we have to give it our all.”
FIFA said the crowd for the World Cup’s 56th game boosted attendance to a record 3,605,357 for the tournament, more than the previous record at the 52 matches for the 1994 tournament in the U.S.
With the scores at 1-1, referee Tori Penso originally awarded Germany a penalty kick less than 30 seconds into the second half after Joel Ordóñez challenged Kai Havertz, but the decision was overturned after a video review ruled Sané had first fouled Vite.
Germany’s winning streak was stopped at 11 games, one shy of the team record set in 1979-80.
“The difference was today that the opponent wanted to win more than us, and you could really feel it, especially in the second half,” Germany midfielder Joshua Kimmich said.
The Associated Press and ESPN Research contributed to this report.
