Ecuador stuns Germany 2-1 to reach World Cup knockout stage, coach Beccacece celebrates with family in stands
Ecuador came from behind to defeat Germany 2-1 at MetLife Stadium, securing a place in the round of 32 and sparking an emotional celebration from coach Sebastián Beccacece, who climbed into the stands to embrace his wife and family.
Ecuador's World Cup campaign, which had teetered on the brink of disaster after a loss to Ivory Coast and a goalless draw with debutants Curaçao, was revived in dramatic fashion on Thursday. A 2-1 victory over four-time champion Germany in East Rutherford, New Jersey, sent La Tri into the knockout stage as one of the best third-place finishers, their first appearance in the round of 32 in 20 years.
A match of two halves
Germany struck first with a controversial early goal, but Nilson Angulo equalized in the 9th minute. The score remained 1-1 until the 77th minute, when substitute Kevin Rodriguez headed a Pedro Vite corner into the path of Gonzalo Plata, who poked the ball home. The goal unleashed pandemonium among the heavily pro-Ecuador crowd of 80,000.
It is the biggest victory for Ecuador in a World Cup. We worked for that, we came with the dream of making Ecuador's best cup ever, and now we did.
Beccacece's dash to the stands
After Plata's winner, Beccacece sprinted along the sideline, then scaled the barrier to reach his wife Patricia Persson, his mother, and other family members. He was mobbed by yellow-clad fans. Later, he danced on the pitch to Alicia Keys' "Empire State of Mind." The coach said the moment was about sharing joy with loved ones.
My dad is missing. He's watching us from above. But, anyway, I think we need to celebrate these moments. I'm thinking of the Ecuadorian people, 19 million people celebrating hugging each other, having a beer and celebrating this historical victory.
From scapegoat to hero
Beccacece entered the match under intense pressure. Ecuador had finished second in South American qualifying behind Argentina and arrived on a 19-match unbeaten run, but the opening results prompted calls for his resignation. Former national team player Jefferson Montero wrote on X that Beccacece should "step down from La Tri" and accused him of damaging a golden generation. The coach's family had also been verbally confronted by fans during the Curaçao match.
I don't think we were better than Curacao, neither we felt we were less than Germany. We will keep going, with humility, with prudence.
What comes next
Ecuador finished Group E with four points and will face a yet-to-be-determined opponent in the round of 32. Beccacece, who said he has fallen in love with Ecuador since taking the job two years ago, already raised the bar: "Ecuador never got to the quarterfinals." The team's last World Cup meeting with Germany, 20 years ago, ended in a 3-0 defeat in Berlin.
