Late World Cup Drama: Ecuador Stun Germany, Ivory Coast Make History

Six gripping matches closed out the 2026 World Cup group stage overnight, between Thursday and Friday, with late twists, a major upset, and several teams securing passage to the round of 32. The headline result was Ecuador's 2-1 win over Germany, while Ivory Coast also reached a historic milestone. Other matches included Tunisia's 3-1 loss to the Netherlands, Japan's 1-1 draw with Sweden, Australia and Paraguay finishing 0-0, and the United States falling 3-2 to Turkey.

Germany struck first through Leroy Sane in the 2nd minute, but Ecuador quickly responded when Nilson Angulo capitalized on a German defensive error to level the match in the 7th minute. The decisive moment came in the 77th minute, when Gonzalo Plata beat Manuel Neuer to complete Ecuador's comeback and send the South Americans into the round of 32 from third place. Despite the defeat, Germany advanced from first place.

The report also highlighted Ivory Coast's achievement in its match against Curacao, described as a historic moment for the African side. The results across the night completed the group-stage picture and determined who moved on to the tournament's knockout round.