Ecuador head coach Sebastián Beccacece jumped into the stands and celebrated with fans, who were in tears, while players joined in group hugs with huge smiles on their faces.
Ecuador, one of the World Cup's dark horses, pulled off a stunning upset at NY/NJ (MetLife) Stadium, defeating Germany 2-1 to advance to the knockout rounds in front of yet another sold-out crowd in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Thursday.
It's just the second time in history that Ecuador has advanced past the group stage, and the first since 2006. To do that, Ecuador needed to end its nine-game winless streak against European opposition. Germany, which had already been confirmed as the winners of Group E after picking up six points in its first two games, was looking to make it 12 straight victories, which would have equaled a national record.
"We know that these are very difficult teams, but we also have more and more confidence in ourselves, and we know that we can compete with any team on equal terms, and I think we showed that today," said Nilson Angulo, who scored the first goal of Ecuador's World Cup to draw them level with Germany.
Mark Radigan
La Tri responds after going behind
In a win-or-go-home game, it was the worst possible start for Ecuador.
Assisted by Florian Wirtz, Leroy Sané gave Germany the lead in the third minute with a neat first-time finish in the bottom left corner.
With Ecuador down 1-0, it didn't look promising: La Tri were held scoreless in their first two games, and it wasn't going to be easy to get past Manuel Neuer, Germany's legendary 40-year-old goalkeeper.
But just seven minutes later, Ecuador scored its first goal of the tournament after 40 shot attempts. The goal came from the 23-year-old Angulo of Sunderland AFC in the English Premier League, who received the ball in the middle third and drove to the top of the box, striking it with his right foot in the bottom right corner.
FIRST GOAL OF THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP FOR ECUADOR 🇪🇨
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 25, 2026
Nilson Angulo equalizer from outside the box! pic.twitter.com/iTnSrgc9jy
"It's an immense joy," Angulo said about his goal following the match. "Seeing that today I can fulfill my dream and score my first goal in my first World Cup, I'm very proud, more than anything, because my family is here and all the Ecuadorian people needed this. They deserved it more than anyone else, so I'm very happy to bring this joy to the Ecuadorian people."
A comeback completed
Both sides had good chances from there, but Ecuador struck ahead in the 77th minute.
Off Moisés Caicedo's corner kick, Kevin Rodríguez flicked the ball to Gonzalo Plata, who poked it into the back of the net past a hesitant Neuer for his first-ever World Cup goal.
ECUADOR HAS LIFE 🇪🇨
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 25, 2026
WHAT A MOMENT TO TAKE THE LEAD OVER GERMANY LATE! pic.twitter.com/CCWCFa5xKW
The crowd, which was mostly Ecuadorian, exploded and stayed loud long after the final whistle — it was a dramatic way to qualify for the knockout rounds, especially after Ecuador started its tournament with a last-minute loss to the Ivory Coast and a disappointing draw with Curaçao.
"The key was staying united and fighting for every ball," Angulo said. "We know that Germany was a very strong team, but we weren't intimidated by that. Today we all gave our best, and I'm really proud of my goal — very happy to have had the opportunity to score — and I hope this is one of many."
Ecuador will now likely face Mexico at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Tuesday, June 30, in the Round of 32.
