Germany v Ecuador LIVE: Ecuador reach World Cup knockouts with stunning win | OneFootball

(Reuters)

Ecuador stunned Germany with a brilliant 2-1 win to drag their World Cup 2026 campaign from disaster to glory as they qualified for the knockout stages for just the second time in their history.

Needing an unlikely win over the four-time world champions to reach the last 32, the South Americans suffered the worst possible start when already-qualified Germany struck in the second minute, with Leroy Sane brilliantly opening his account at major international tournaments with a curled finish.

Ecuador had failed to ⁠score in this tournament despite 39 previous attempts but finally broke their duck with their 40th shot when Nilson Angulo curled the ball beyond Manuel ‌Neuer to spark wild celebrations ​among the sea of ‌yellow in ⁠the stands.

Gonzalo Plata then bundled ⁠home the winner with 13 minutes ‌remaining to ​complete a famous day in Ecuadorian football history, joining Germany and Ivory Coast – who beat Curacao 2-0 to secure their own passage – as Group E qualifiers.