Ecuador win 2-1 over Germany in the group stage, Group E of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The match took place on 25 June 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, as part of the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage, Group E. Both sides arrived with the aim of securing early points, and the atmosphere was electric under the stadium lights.

How it unfolded

The opening minutes saw Germany take the initiative. In the second minute, Leroy Sané opened the scoring for the visitors with a left-footed shot from the centre of the box that curled into the bottom left corner. The strike was set up by Florian Wirtz, whose precise pass split the Ecuadorian defence and gave Sané the space to fire past the goalkeeper, putting Germany ahead 0-1.

Ecuador responded swiftly. Just seven minutes later, Nilson Angulo levelled the game. From outside the box, Angulo unleashed a right-footed effort that drifted to the bottom right corner, beating the German keeper. The chance was created by Pedro Vite, whose incisive pass found Angulo on the edge of the area. The goal restored parity at 1-1 and shifted momentum towards the South American side.

The first half progressed with both teams probing for a winner. In the 43rd minute, Ecuador defender Piero Hincapié received a yellow card for a bad foul, a reminder of the growing physicality. A minute later, Germany’s Aleksandar Pavlovic was cautioned for a similar infringement, bringing the tally of bookings to two.

Early in the second half, Alan Franco was shown a yellow card in the 50th minute, adding a third caution for the home side. The match remained dead-locked, with both teams creating chances but unable to break the dead-heat.

The decisive moment arrived in the 77th minute. Following a corner, Kevin Rodríguez delivered a headed pass into the six-yard box, where Gonzalo Plata met it with a left-footed shot from very close range. The ball flew into the top right corner, giving Ecuador a 2-1 lead. The goal, assisted by Rodríguez, re-established Ecuador’s advantage and forced Germany to chase the remainder of the match.

In the closing stages, Gonzalo Plata was booked in the 89th minute for a bad foul, bringing his personal tally to one yellow card and raising the total cautions for Ecuador to four. The final whistle confirmed an Ecuadorian 2-1 victory.

Standout performers

  • Leroy Sané – Scored Germany’s early goal, demonstrating composure inside the box.
  • Florian Wirtz – Provided the decisive assist for Sané’s opening strike.
  • Nilson Angulo – Equalised for Ecuador with a powerful long-range effort.
  • Pedro Vite – Set up Angulo’s goal with a well-timed pass.
  • Gonzalo Plata – Scored the winning goal and was involved in the late booking.
  • Kevin Rodríguez – Delivered the headed pass from the corner that led to Plata’s decisive finish.

Match facts

  • Final score: Ecuador 2-1 Germany
  • Scorers:
    • Leroy Sané (Germany) – 2’ (assist: Florian Wirtz)
    • Nilson Angulo (Ecuador) – 9’ (assist: Pedro Vite)
    • Gonzalo Plata (Ecuador) – 77’ (assist: Kevin Rodríguez)
  • Bookings:
    • Piero Hincapié (Ecuador) – 43’
    • Aleksandar Pavlovic (Germany) – 44’
    • Alan Franco (Ecuador) – 50’
    • Gonzalo Plata (Ecuador) – 89’
  • Venue: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

What it means

The result leaves both Ecuador and Germany with a win and a loss each in Group E, keeping their World Cup 2026 campaigns alive as they look to the remaining group matches for further points.