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Ecuador qualified for the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup by defeating Germany (2-1) today, Thursday evening, in the third round of Group E at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA.
With the win, Ecuador moved up to 4 points in third place in Group E, while Germany moved up to 6 points ahead of runners-up Cote d’Ivoire (2-1), who also beat Curacao (2-0).
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Having qualified as one of the best third-placed teams, Ecuador are close to meeting Group 12 leaders England in the round of 32 if the Three Lions maintain their lead.
It took Leroy Sane just one minute and 49 seconds to score a machine goal in today’s game, making it Germany’s second-fastest World Cup goal behind Ernst Lehner’s first-minute goal against Austria in 1934.
Sane’s goal sparked a major refereeing controversy, given his teammate Aleksandar Pavlovic’s suspected foul on Ecuador’s Pedro Vitti just before the goal.
But Ecuador quickly equalized through Nelson Angulo with a 9th-minute spot-kick.
The turning point of the meeting
In the 47th minute, the American referee Torrey Benso awarded a penalty for the attacker of the car, Kai Havertz.
But Al-Hakam disallowed the strike after reviewing video technology that showed Leroy Sane’s foul on the Ecuadorian in the center of the pitch early in the German attack.
The Latin side played a more aggressive attacking game in the second half and had several attempts against veteran Manuel Neuer’s goal before scoring in the 77th minute through Gonzalo Plata, who chipped the ball past the Bayern Munich keeper.
Germany put intense pressure in the final minutes to equalize, but Ecuador’s footballers bravely defended their dream of qualifying and managed to hold on for the win until the end of the match.
