Ecuador shock stun Germany 2-1 to reach the World Cup last 32, while Ivory Coast eliminate Curacao to secure a historic knockout round.
Group E reached a dramatic conclusion on Thursday as Ecuador pulled off a stunning 2-1 comeback victory over Germany at MetLife Stadium, securing a spot in the World Cup knockout rounds.
Germany having already locked up the top spot in the group, Julian Nagelsmann fielded a side that crumbled under Ecuadorian pressure. The South Americans responded almost immediately to an early German opener, drawing level in the ninth minute. The decisive blow came 13 minutes from time when Gonzalo Plata bundled home from close range. The result lifts Ecuador to four points, sending them through as one of the best third-placed teams. A frustrated Nagelsmann heavily criticized his team after the final whistle, labeling their performance “tactical suicide.”
Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Ivory Coast made history by reaching the World Cup knockout stage for the first time. The West Africans sealed second place in the group with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Curacao.
Nicolas Pepe was the undisputed star of the evening. He opened the scoring in the seventh minute, converting a precise cross from Yan Diomande after a defensive error. Curacao had a golden opportunity to equalize before the break, but Leandro Bacuna dragged his shot wide. Pepe then put the game to bed in the second half, cutting inside to unleash a brilliant curling effort into the far corner.
The defeat ends a historic, maiden World Cup campaign for Curacao, the smallest nation by population to ever qualify for the tournament. They exit bottom of Group E with a single point, while Ivory Coast march on to the last 32 with six points.