Kathmandu, June 26 — Ecuador have advanced to the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup after defeating Germany 2–1 in a Group E match played today at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States.
Germany took an early lead in the second minute when Leroy Sané found the back of the net. However, Ecuador responded quickly, with Nilson Angulo scoring in the ninth minute to level the match at 1–1.
Ecuador secured the victory in the 77th minute when Gonzalo Plata scored the decisive goal, giving his side a 2–1 lead. No further goals were scored, and Ecuador claimed an important win over Germany.
Meanwhile, in the other Group E fixture played today, Ivory Coast booked their place in the knockout stage with a 2–0 victory over Curaçao. Nicolas Pépé scored both goals for Ivory Coast, finding the net in the seventh and 64th minutes.
Despite the defeat to Ecuador, Germany finished with six points and qualified for the knockout stage. Ivory Coast also ended the group stage with six points and advanced as the group runners-up on goal difference. Ecuador finished with four points and progressed to the knockout stage as one of the eight best third-placed teams. Curaçao, with one point, were eliminated from the tournament.
Source: Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS)
