Gonzalo Plata’s late strike sent Ecuador to the World Cup knockout stages with a deserved 2-1 win over Germany in New Jersey.
Plata reacted quickest to prod the ball home in the 77th minute to complete a dramatic comeback win for La Tri, who outplayed the Group E winners for much of the game.
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, Plata finally came up with the important moment to earn the crucial win for Ecuador which takes them to four points, which is almost certainly likely to see them progress as one of the eight best third-place sides at this World Cup.
Sensational start as Sane and Angulo score early on
Germany needed just two minutes to break the deadlock, although Sane’s opener was not without controversy.
Florian Wirtz slid the ball into the forward’s path for a ruthless finish, but Ecuador felt the move should have been halted after Aleksander Pavlovic appeared to catch Pedro Vite with a high boot in the build-up.
Despite furious protests from the South Americans, neither the referee nor VAR intervened, allowing Germany’s early goal to stand and putting them on course for maximum points in Group E.
Ecuador responded well though and levelled just seven minutes later throughg Sunderland winger Angulo. The 22-year-old caught Manuel Neuer out with a superb effort from distance to breathe life into La Tri’s hopes progressing in the tournament.
The goal seemed to invigorate La Tri, keeping Neuer busy with a number of nice exchanges and dangerous corners, with a penalty appeal on Piero Hincapie by goalscorer Sane waved away.
A brilliant cross by David Raum up the other end gave Kai Havertz the chance to head it towards goal but his effort was comfortably saved by Hernan Galindez.
Overall though, it was clear which side had already won the group and which still needed to win, with Ecuador really asking questions of the four-time winners with some dangerous attacks.
Ecuador outplay Germans in chase of knockouts
It took even less time for the second half to have its first flashpoint, with the referee giving a penalty only 40 seconds after the restart following Joel Ordonez’s clumsy challenge on Kai Havertz, but this time VAR did intervene to reverse the decision after a Germany foul at the start of the play.
Much like in the first half though, Germany’s fast start was failed to be matched by the their general performance level, with Die Meinschaft lacking the urgency they had showed in their first two games.
The hour mark signalled the time for Denis Undav to enter the fray, however, following his three goals off the bench so far, with hope the Stuttgartt man could repeat his heroics once again.
But it was Ecuador who were once again testing Neuer, with Enner Valencia stinging the palms of the stopper from distance following some more great work from John Yeboah, who had been a nuisance all game on the right-hand side.
A host of chances went at either end, with Sane sitting down his opponent before firing straight at the keeper, but still Ecuador pushed for the goal they needed.
Plata the Ecuador hero
When the goal did come, it was bedlam in New Jersey as Plata got ahead of Neuer following a Kevin Rodriguez flick from a corner to poke the ball into the back of the net and put the South Americans on the cusp of the knockouts.
As it stood, Ecuador were almost certainly heading into the knockout round as one of the best third-placed teams on four points and didn’t their players and coaching team know, with every member enjoying some brilliant celebrations in the corner after the goal.
As always seems to be the case, Ecuador seemd to retreat and invite pressure as Germany pushed for an equaliser, but some heroic defender continually thwarted their opponets as we entered seven long minutes of added time.
Not even Undav could come up with the moment for Germany this time as one chance saw him pushed too far wide and his shot his the side netting.
But a free-kick in the far corner signalled job done for Ecuador,as they saw the game out to spark even more jubilant scenes at the final whistle as they did it the hard way to reach the round of 32.
