FIFA WC: Plata’s late strike stuns Germany as Ecuador seal knockout berth

Ecuador delivered an incredible shock to the football world by defeating four-time champion Germany 2-1, catapulting themselves into the knockout rounds of the World Cup. The late-game heroics of Gonzalo Plata, who scored the decisive goal, thrilled a record crowd. After an early strike from Germany, Ecuador’s Nilson Angulo equalized, setting the stage for Plata’s unforgettable winner that disrupted Germany’s winning streak.