The 2026 FIFA World Cup produced another major surprise as Ecuador defeated Germany 2-1 in their final Group E match to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Germany made the perfect start when Leroy Sané opened the scoring after just two minutes following a slick combination with Florian Wirtz. Ecuador refused to panic and responded quickly through Nilson Angulo, whose powerful strike from outside the box beat Manuel Neuer after Pedro Vite won possession high up the pitch. The equalizer shifted the momentum, and La Tri matched Germany for the remainder of the first half before the teams went into the break level at 1-1.
Germany tried to regain control after halftime and even thought it had earned a penalty in the opening seconds of the second half, but VAR overturned the decision after identifying a foul by Leroy Sané earlier in the move. In the middle of this dramatic 2026 FIFA World Cup clash, Ecuador defended with discipline, pressed aggressively and gradually created the better chances through Enner Valencia, John Yeboah and Moisés Caicedo, while Hernán Galíndez denied every dangerous German attempt.
The decisive moment arrived in the 78th minute when Gonzalo Plata scored after Joel Ordóñez flicked on Ángelo Preciado’s corner. Germany launched a relentless assault during the closing stages, but Ecuador stood firm as Félix Torres, Pervis Estupiñán and Galíndez protected their narrow lead until the final whistle. The victory keeps La Tri’s hopes of reaching the Round of 32 alive and hands Germany its first defeat of the tournament at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
