New York New Jersey stadium witnesses Ecuador’s historic World Cup win over Germany
Ecuador achieved a significant victory at the World Cup, defeating Germany 2-1 in a match that secured their place in the knockout stage. This win, which saw Ecuador come from behind, marked a turnaround in their campaign after a challenging start to the tournament.
The match, held at the New York New Jersey stadium, concluded Group E play. Gonzalo Plata scored the winning goal in the 77th minute, completing Ecuador’s comeback against the four-time champions. This result ensured Ecuador finished with four points, guaranteeing them a spot in the knockout stage as one of the best third-place finishers across the 12 groups.
Ecuador’s emotional triumph and coach’s reaction
The atmosphere in the stadium was electric, with a large contingent of Ecuadorian fans celebrating enthusiastically. Players were seen collapsing onto the pitch in emotion after the final whistle. Coach Sebastian Beccacece, who had faced criticism earlier in the tournament, described the victory as achieving the “impossible.”
Beccacece celebrated passionately, sprinting along the sidelines after each of Ecuador’s two goals. He even jumped into the stands to embrace supporters, days after his family had a verbal confrontation with fans during the match against Curacao. On the field, he danced to “Empire State of Mind,” marking Ecuador’s first trip to the knockout stage in 20 years.
The coach urged unity, stating, “I invite everyone to keep united. That’s what we did today.” When asked about the personal significance of qualifying for the next round, Beccacece emphasized its meaning for the people of Ecuador, encouraging them to enjoy the moment. He later told a press conference that it was the biggest victory for Ecuador in a World Cup, and a moment for all Ecuadoreans to celebrate with family and friends.
This win came two decades after Ecuador’s last World Cup encounter with Germany, which ended in a 3-0 loss in Berlin. This time, the crowd at the 80,000-seat stadium was predominantly in favor of Ecuador.
Beccacece praised his players for their performance, noting they maintained their composure and tactical approach despite earlier setbacks. He stated that no changes were made to the team’s style of play, emphasizing, “We kept the tranquillity. We kept the exact same idea of how to play.” He also reflected on the nature of football, saying, “Football is like that: one day you win, the other day you lose. We were not in the hell before, neither I think we are in the heaven now. The important thing is the balance.”
Germany’s reflections and defensive concerns
Despite having already secured qualification for the knockout stage, the nature of Germany’s loss to Ecuador raised concerns within the team, particularly regarding their ability to handle physically assertive opponents. Deniz Undav, who entered the match as a 60th-minute substitute, observed that the South Americans displayed greater desire on the pitch.
Undav highlighted a gap in intensity between the two sides, stating, “Ecuador were more aggressive and sharper than we were. That’s something we need to learn from and draw the right conclusions. We weren’t as direct in our play and we didn’t create as many chances.” He stressed the need for a tactical shift in mentality, asserting, “We must defend ourselves more. If it gets nasty, then we have to be nasty too.”
However, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann disagreed with the suggestion that his team lacked commitment. When asked if his side lacked engagement, Nagelsmann responded sharply, “Please stop with that nonsense, honestly. Why wouldn’t the boys want to go full throttle? No, they didn’t want it more. They simply took a bit more risk in many situations.” He acknowledged that the group standings, where Germany had already secured progression, influenced his substitution decisions, but he refused to attribute the loss to a lack of effort from his players.
The defeat also brought scrutiny to veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who faced criticism for his role in Ecuador’s winning goal. He appeared hesitant before Gonzalo Plata converted a late corner. Despite discussions about the goalkeeping position, Nagelsmann remained steadfast in his support for Neuer, describing the shots he faced as “nasty” to deal with. The coach is determined to prevent any debate regarding a change in goal as the tournament progresses to the knockout phase.
Germany still managed to finish as winners of Group E and will travel to Foxborough, near Boston, for their Round of 32 match on Monday. The identity of their opponent is yet to be confirmed, but the squad recognizes the need to avoid a repeat of the technical sloppiness seen in New Jersey. For Undav, the focus remains on matching the physical intensity of their next opponent. The late goal by Plata served as a wake-up call for a team that had appeared strong in its opening matches.
Ecuador’s victory over Germany was a significant moment, especially after their earlier performances, including a loss to Ivory Coast and a 0-0 draw against tournament debutants Curacao, where they created 28 shots but failed to score.
Source: rediff.com
