Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:18am on 26 Jun 2026,Friday Sports
Ecuador secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Germany to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage, thanks to a decisive 77th-minute goal from Gonzalo Plata. Germany struck first through Leroy Sané in the second minute, but Nilson Angulo equalised just seven minutes later. Plata's clinical finish completed Ecuador's comeback, sending La Tri into the Round of 32 for the first time since 2006. Despite the defeat, Germany finished top of Group E after already securing qualification. Ecuador's resilient display marked one of the tournament's biggest upsets and kept their World Cup dream alive. (PC: Getty Images)
