Ecuador just pulled off one of the most memorable results of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, rallying from an early deficit to beat Germany 2-1 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The June 25 victory punched Ecuador’s ticket to the knockout round for only the second time in the country’s history.
The last time Ecuador made it past the World Cup group stage was 2006. Twenty years is a long time to wait for a sequel.
How the match unfolded
Germany looked like they were going to cruise. Leroy Sane opened the scoring in just the 2nd minute, the kind of early gut-punch that typically deflates underdogs on the world’s biggest stage.
Nilson Angulo equalized in the 9th minute, turning what could have been a long, painful evening into a genuine contest within the opening ten minutes of play.
