Ecuador manager Sebastian Beccacece said he would have lost his job had he not masterminded a 2-1 win over Germany which put them into the last 32 of the World Cup.
Leroy Sane had put Germany ahead only two minutes into the game before Nilson Angulo levelled the game in the ninth minute, with the South Americans then impressing after finally scoring their first goal of the tournament.
After several chances had gone begging, Gonzalo Plata finally came up with the important moment to earn the crucial win for Ecuador which takes them to four points, which guarantees they will progress as one of the eight best third-place sides at this World Cup.
They are forecast to face England in the last 32 – but that could easily change.
Beccacece celebrated the winner by jumping into the stands. The boss had faced heavy criticism from local media and fans earlier in the week regarding the team’s sluggish start to the tournament and could not contain his emotion at the final whistle.
“I expected to lose my job if we did not make ‘the impossible possible’,” he said.
“It’s not about what it means to me; this is for the people. The players have given them this qualification. Let them celebrate and enjoy it.”
Plata was swarmed by reporters in the mixed zone, still visibly emotional after scoring the 77th-minute winner.
He said: ““We were really looking forward to this before the World Cup began. It feels different today because we struggled so much in the first two matches.
“It’s better this way; it’s a learning experience for us and now we’ll go into the next round even more hungry for glory. This team believes strongly in itself.
“We have 26 players who will give their all for Ecuador. We’ve filled stadiums everywhere, our fans have made us feel at home in every stadium. They deserve this more than anyone. They did their part, they helped us a lot and motivated us.”
