SOCCER: Ecuador fight back to shock Germany and reach knockout stage

Ecuador pulled off a stunning 2-1 victory over Germany on Thursday to keep its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign alive and secure a place in the Round of 32.

Needing a win to stay in contention, Ecuador suffered an early setback when already-qualified Germany took the lead in the second minute. Leroy Sané scored his first goal in a major international tournament, finding the net in his 15th appearance for Germany.

Despite registering 39 shots without scoring in the tournament, Ecuador finally broke through with its 40th attempt. Nilson Angulo curled a shot past German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to level the match, sparking celebrations among Ecuador supporters.

Gonzalo Plata then scored the winning goal in the 77th minute, sending Ecuador into the knockout stage with a memorable comeback victory. -Reporting by Ossian Shine, Editing by Ken Ferris/Reuters