Plata’s golden touch against Germany sends Ecuador into World Cup last 32

Sí, se puede – yes, we can – was the chant that rang out from the sea of 55,000 yellow shirts as Ecuador’s final group match kicked off. Despite a flat start to their World Cup campaign, there was a genuine belief that an upset against a full-strength Germany was possible. They had no other choice: having been shut out by Eloy Room’s heroics for Curaçao , Sebastián Beccacece’s side had to win to progress. Gonzalo Plata’s 77th-minute strike sparked wild and emotional celebrations, assuring their place in the last 32 as a best third-placed team – and a first knockout match since 2006. Although top spot in the group was secured, Julian Nagelsmann made only injury-induced changes to his starting XI. As the German coach explained on the eve of the match, having a regular first-choice side took precedence over distributing playing time across the squad. Two minutes in, Aleksandar Pavlovic knocked the ball past Pedro Vite with a daringly high boot before finding Florian Wirtz in the box. The Liverpool forward set up Leroy Sané on the edge of the box, who tucked away his first goal of the tournament into the bottom corner. The protests over Pavlovic’s challenge for the ball were lengthy but futile. The fans in yellow were undeterred, though. Chants of encouragement soon turned to jubilation as Ecuador found a response. Sunderland’s Nilson Angulo, one of two new faces in Beccacece’s lineup, found Manuel Neuer’s far corner from the edge of the box. …