Ecuador pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 World Cup by defeating Germany Thursday night in East Rutherford, New Jersey. After conceding an early goal, Sebastian Beccacece's team rallied to win 2-1 and secure their place in the round of 32 as one of the best third-placed teams.
A bad start
The scenario had started in the worst possible way for Ecuador. In the opening minutes, Florian Wirtz set up Leroy Sané, who opened the scoring for Germany. The play was disputed by the South American side, as Aleksandar Pavlovic appeared to have made contact with Pedro Vite at the start of the move. The goal was ultimately awarded.
Ecuador didn't collapse. On the contrary. The response came quickly, with Nilson Angulo unleashing a 20-meter strike that Manuel Neuer, 40, couldn't prevent from equalizing in the 9th minute. The Ecuadorian wingers then caused serious problems for the German defense, with Angulo on one side and John Yeboah on the other.
In the 77th minute, Gonzalo Plata, who had missed a golden opportunity against Neuer a few minutes earlier, headed home a deflected corner at the near post to give Ecuador the lead. The winning goal!
With four points, Ecuador secured their place in the next round. Germany, already guaranteed to finish top of their group, did not inspire confidence. This defeat raises doubts before the next round…
Ivory Coast is also entering history
In the other major event of the evening, Ivory Coast advanced past the first round of a World Cup for the first time in its history. The Elephants defeated Curaçao 2-0 in Philadelphia, thanks to a brace from Nicolas Pépé.
The match wasn't necessarily their most brilliant of the tournament, but the main point was elsewhere. The Ivorians finished second in Group E, behind Ecuador, whom they had beaten 1-0 earlier in the competition.
This qualification has a special significance. Previous generations, those of Didier Drogba, Yaya Touré, Kolo Touré, Gervinho, and Didier Zokora, had all been eliminated in the first round. Three appearances, three eliminations. This time, the ceiling has been broken.
Against Curaçao, bottom of the group, Ivory Coast got the job done. Nicolas Pépé led his team effectively and secured a clear victory for the Elephants. Curaçao is eliminated from the tournament, while the Ivorians can finally look ahead to a knockout match.
