Ecuador stunned Germany with a memorable victory to secure a place in the FIFA World Cup knockout stage, ending the Germans’ 11-match winning streak and recording their first win over a UEFA opponent since 2013.
The result guaranteed Ecuador a spot among the tournament’s top eight third-placed teams, sending them into the knockout rounds for only the second time in their history and the first since reaching the Round of 16 in 2006.
Head coach Sebastian Beccacece, who had faced criticism following Ecuador’s slow start to the tournament, thanked supporters after the historic win and urged the nation to celebrate the achievement.
“I apologize to those who still haven’t clicked with me,” Beccacece said. “The entire country is celebrating now. Let them enjoy, have a beer and celebrate with their families.”
Winger Gonzalo Plata, who scored his ninth international goal, admitted Ecuador had endured a difficult start to the competition but said the team would enter the knockout stage with renewed confidence.
“We suffered too much in the first two matches. We wanted to qualify earlier, but now we’re even hungrier and know we have to give everything,” Plata said.
The match also marked a milestone for the tournament, with FIFA announcing that attendance surpassed 3.6 million spectators, setting a new World Cup record and eclipsing the previous mark established at the 1994 tournament in the United States.
Germany were denied a second-half penalty after referee Tori Penso overturned her original decision following a VAR review, which ruled that Leroy Sané had committed a foul before Kai Havertz was challenged inside the penalty area.
Reflecting on the defeat, Germany midfielder Joshua Kimmich admitted his side had been second best.
“The difference today was that the opponent wanted to win more than us, and you could really feel it, especially in the second half,” Kimmich said.
Despite the loss, Germany had already secured qualification for the knockout stage, while Ecuador celebrated one of the biggest victories in the nation’s football history.
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