Ecuador stages comeback to beat Germany and advance in World Cup

Ecuador staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Germany 2-1, advancing to the next round of the World Cup. The victory came after a challenging group stage where Ecuador had struggled to score.

Germany, already group winners, fielded their strongest lineup, but Ecuador fought back with determination. Florian Wirtz opened the scoring for Germany in the second minute, but Nilson Angulo quickly equalized for Ecuador in the ninth minute, marking their first World Cup goal after nearly 190 minutes of play.

The match saw a tense second half with a disallowed penalty for Germany after a VAR review. Enner Valencia had a chance to put Ecuador ahead, but his shot was saved. The decisive moment came in the 77th minute when Gonzalo Plata scored the winning goal from a corner, sending Ecuador into a frenzy.

With this win, Ecuador secures a spot in the knockout stages. Their next match could be played at a significant altitude, as the team often plays home games in Quito, situated 2,850 meters above sea level.