Overview
- Ecuador beat already‑qualified Germany 2-1 on Thursday after Nilson Angulo levelled in the ninth minute and Gonzalo Plata struck the 77th‑minute winner to clinch one of the eight best third‑place berths.
- Germany opened inside two minutes through Leroy Sané in a goal Ecuador protested for a high boot by Aleksandar Pavlović, and a second‑half penalty awarded to Germany was overturned after a VAR review found a foul earlier in the move.
- Ivory Coast finished second in Group E with a 2-0 win over Curaçao thanks to a Nicolas Pépé brace, marking the nation’s first progression to the World Cup knockout round.
- Germany still topped Group E despite the loss and will face a third‑placed side in the Round of 32, while Ecuador and Ivory Coast join the 32‑team knockout field created under the expanded 48‑team format.
- The outcomes highlighted how late goals, VAR intervention and the tournament’s new third‑place qualifying spots can quickly change who advances, and they produced vivid moments for fans and teams including an emotional celebration from Ecuador coach Sebastián Beccacece.