Ecuador stun Group E winners Germany as both book knockout round berths
| Photo: Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images. |
Ecuador hace produced an almighty upset to stun Germany 2-1 and subsequently qualify for the World Cup knockouts. While it is a shock result on paper, the four-time world champions merely had pride to play for given they were already crowned Group E winners before a ball was kicked this evening.
In the New Jersey sun, Germany hit the front inside 109 seconds. David Raum fired a throw in towards Aleksandar Pavlovic who flicked the ball over his marker and fed Florian Wirtz. In an act of unselfishness, the latter teed up Leroy Sané to whip it past the fingertips of Galindez and into the lower-left corner.
However, Germany's early lead lasted all of 7 minutes as Equador hit back in a game they desperately needed to win. Pedro Vite made a vital interception before supplying Nilson Angulo. The winger proceeded to unleash a rasping strike that left Manuel Neuer without a chance to react in time.
Barring half-chances for Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala either side of the hydration break – one easily saved and the other blocked – both teams enjoyed passages of play with the control of the ball. Pavlovic and ex-Leverkusen star Hincapié also picked up yellow cards for professional fouling.
Further drama ensued inside two minutes of the second-half when Havertz appeared to win a penalty. However, VAR noted a foul by Sané on Vite in the build up to chalk it off. With a half-hour to go, Julian Nagelsmann turned to his bench as Malick Thiaw and Deniz Undav replaced Kimmich and Havertz.
Manuel Neuer had to have his wits about him when Enner Valencia's last act involved a dipping shot which he parried to safety. Maxi Beier made his World Cup debut – off came Nmecha with an eye to the knockout rounds. Ecuador also made alterations of their own in Kevin Rodriguez and Pervis Estupinan.
A mix-up involving Tah and Neuer almost led to an Ecuadorian breakthrough, but Plata fired wide. There was a sense, however, that the Sebastian Beccacese wanted this more. Plata poetically made amends for his prior miss, directing Vite's corner to the roof of the net on 78 minutes before Neuer could intervene.
With the terraces akin to the bustling streets of Quito, Equador knew they just needed to hang on. Seven minutes of injury time arrived as the DFB-elf sought an equalizer – Undav rattled the side-netting and Pascal Groß fired over the bar as Germany's Group E campaign ends in defeat as Ecuadorians cried tears of joy.
