Ecuador Stun Germany, Sneak Into World Cup Knockouts as a Third-Place Qualifier

ESPN · 4d ago

Ecuador rallied from an early deficit to beat Germany 2-1 in their final Group E match, with Angulo and Plata answering an early Sane goal. Germany still topped the group on the head-to-head tiebreak, but Ecuador's win was enough to claim one of the eight best third-place spots in the Round of 32 under the tournament's expanded 48-team format. It's a strong finish for a side that entered the tournament as a long shot.