Fought, gambled and came out on top; Ecuador scripts dramatic revival to enter knockouts

NEW YORK: Germany-Ecuador match in the World Cup started on an expected note with Germany scoring their first goal in the second minute. Florian Wirtz waltzed with the ball inside the Ecuador box and slid it to Sane to make a perfect start to the game.

Hopes were dimming for Ecuador, and it was almost feared the team would exit the World Cup on a sour note. However, the tempo of the game changed suddenly with Ecuador opting for Gegenpressing. Sensing the threat, Germany slowly adopted a defensive mode, which did no good either. Seeing the fast-paced game, the Ecuador fans started chanting Sí, se puede’ (‘yes, we can’).

In the ninth minute of the game, Ecuador made a sudden advance, but little did anyone know that Nilson Angulo would curl the ball from a tight angle to beat the legendary German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. It was an outrageous attempt, but the work was done. This was Ecuador’s first goal in the tournament despite them taking 39 shots at the target during the last two matches.

The game pretty much leaned towards Ecuador since then, and Germany could only helplessly reel in the sudden pace brought in by the Latin American underdogs. In the 78th minute, Gonzalo Plata scored the deserved goal for Ecuador to change their fortunes in the tournament.

German captain Kimmich blamed losing possession and giving the ball away cheaply for the defeat. “We helped them grow into the game. In the second half, the defeat was deserved.”

With the stunning upset, Ecuador entered the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup and also qualified as one of the top eight third-placed teams. Germany (6 points) and the Ivory Coast (6 points) finished as the top two, and Ecuador advanced with 4 points after a dramatic final day.

Ecuador head coach Sebastian Beccacece, who earlier signalled a possible exit from the role if the team were to face defeat against Germany, did a celebration worth remembering for the ages. In the disappointing draw against Curacao, an altercation ensued between Beccacece’s family and supporters. Yesterday, after Ecuador's second goal, Beccacece ran to the stands and climbed the fences to hug his wife and other members of his family.

England legend Alan Shearer, who watched Beccacece’s celebration, said, “ He was on his way out, but then he demanded a reaction from his boys. They fought, gambled and came out on top. Look at that celebration”