Caicedo watched Ecuador overturn an early deficit and beat Germany 2-1 on Thursday in the third match of Group E at World Cup 2026. The win sent Ecuador into the round of 16 with 4 points after a match that shifted after the first half and again in the closing stages.
Metlife Stadium in New Jersey
Leroy Sané put Germany ahead with a shot from the edge of the area after Florian Wirtz helped create the opening. Ecuador answered in the 10th minute when Angulo struck from outside the area and sent the ball in near the post, turning the match back before halftime.
From there, Ecuador had to keep forcing the issue. Germany stayed in the contest long enough to make the late spell matter, but the side that entered Thursday needing a result found one through repeated pressure and a second-half finish.
VAR for Germany
Germany briefly thought it had a chance to change the match from the spot, but VAR wiped out the penalty after a previous foul. That decision preserved the draw at the moment Ecuador needed it most and kept the match on a narrow edge until the final run of play.
The restart sequence that decided it came in the 78th minute. Kevin Rodríguez flicked a corner on at the near post, and Gonzalo Plata finished the move for the winner. That goal completed the comeback and left Germany with a lead that never survived the full match.
Beccacece and Group E
Beccacece got the result that moved Ecuador forward out of Group E as third in the table. The finish carried Ecuador into the round of 16, while Germany left Thursday after leading early and then losing control of the scoreline.
The practical outcome is simple for Ecuador: the group stage is over, and the tournament continues. For Germany, the penalty reversal and the late goal both fed into a result that ended with Sané's opener wasted and Ecuador taking the points.
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