MUNDIAL·26

First Stage · Group E · Thursday, June 25 · New York/New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey · 80,663 in the stands

kickoff 16:00 local · 28°C · 42% humidity

Ecuador

9′ Nilson ANGULO (pen)

77′ Gonzalo PLATA (pen)

2:1

Germany

2′ Leroy SANE (pen)

tap a player for their match file

Ecuador4-4-2
Germany3-4-2-1
Hernan GALINDEZ6.3Piero HINCAPIE6.2Joel ORDONEZ6.8Willian PACHO7.4Pedro VITE6.9Alan FRANCO6.2Moises CAICEDO6.9John YEBOAH7.2Enner VALENCIA6.8Gonzalo PLATA6.7Nilson ANGULO7.7Manuel NEUER6.1Antonio RUEDIGER6.5Jonathan TAH6.0Joshua KIMMICH6.3David RAUM6.3Aleksandar PAVLOVIC6.0Jamal MUSIALA7.0Florian WIRTZ7.4Leroy SANE7.5Felix NMECHA4.7Kai HAVERTZ6.4
from the bench

match pulse — xG per 5 minutes · goals · cards

45′90′ECUGER

goals — hover the strip for every shot and card, with names

  • 2′Sané0.11 xG
  • 9′Angulo0.03 xG
  • 77′Plata0.57 xG
ECU 0:0 GER0'kickoff
2' Sané — xG 0.11 · Goal7' Wirtz — xG 0.03 · Blocked9' Angulo — xG 0.03 · Goal14' Nmecha — xG 0.04 · Missed25' Havertz — xG 0.09 · Saved32' Valencia — xG 0.02 · Blocked35' Musiala — xG 0.03 · Blocked38' Nmecha — xG 0.02 · Blocked45 + 4' Wirtz — xG 0.07 · Blocked54' Caicedo — xG 0.02 · Missed62' Valencia — xG 0.05 · Saved63' Wirtz — xG 0.06 · Blocked73' Plata — xG 0.30 · Missed76' Sané — xG 0.16 · Saved77' Rodriguez — xG 0.29 · Blocked77' Plata — xG 0.57 · Goal90 + 3' Undav — xG 0.03 · Missed90 + 5' Gross — xG 0.02 · Missed

▶ Watch every shot in 3D⟲ Replay the match

The xG race — cumulative expected goals, minute by minute

ECU 0:0 GER
0.51.00′15′30′45′60′75′90′2' Sané — GOAL9' Angulo — GOAL77' Plata — GOAL1.280.66

On paper vs as played — formation sheet vs heatmap reality

ECU 4-4-2 attack →, ← GER 3-4-2-1 attack. The teamsheet, as announced.

1Hernan GALINDEZHernan GALINDEZ3Piero HINCAPIEPiero HINCAPIE4Joel ORDONEZJoel ORDONEZ6Willian PACHOWillian PACHO15Pedro VITEPedro VITE21Alan FRANCOAlan FRANCO23Moises CAICEDOMoises CAICEDO9John YEBOAHJohn YEBOAH13Enner VALENCIAEnner VALENCIA19Gonzalo PLATAGonzalo PLATA20Nilson ANGULONilson ANGULO1Manuel NEUERManuel NEUER2Antonio RUEDIGERAntonio RUEDIGER4Jonathan TAHJonathan TAH6Joshua KIMMICHJoshua KIMMICH22David RAUMDavid RAUM5Aleksandar PAVLOVICAleksandar PAVLOVIC10Jamal MUSIALAJamal MUSIALA17Florian WIRTZFlorian WIRTZ19Leroy SANELeroy SANE23Felix NMECHAFelix NMECHA7Kai HAVERTZKai HAVERTZ

The duel — team data, FIFA tracking included

39%
Possession
51%
1.29
Expected goals
0.74
41
Threat
59
7
Shots
11
3
On target
3
325
Passes completed
537
49
Forced turnovers
51
18.1s
Ball recovery time
15.9s
4.67
High-press phases
3.65
10
Fouls committed
14
0
Offsides
0
110 km
Distance covered
115 km
33.9 km/h
Top speed
33.7 km/h

Territory — where each team lived

Every player's heatmap, minutes-weighted and stacked per team. Ecuador attack →, ← Germany attack. Brighter is more presence; where the colors meet is the contested ground.

How it happened

  1. 2′Leroy SANE (Germany) scores!!
  2. 9′Nilson ANGULO (Ecuador) scores!!
  3. 43′Piero HINCAPIE (Ecuador) is booked by the referee.
  4. 44′Aleksandar PAVLOVIC (Germany) is booked by the referee.
  5. ′Before the second half begins Angelo STILLER (in) comes off the bench to replace Aleksandar PAVLOVIC (out) (Germany)
  6. 50′Alan FRANCO (Ecuador) is booked by the referee.
  7. 60′Deniz UNDAV (in) comes off the bench to replace Kai HAVERTZ (out) (Germany)
  8. 60′Malick THIAW (in) comes off the bench to replace Joshua KIMMICH (out) (Germany)
  9. 64′Angelo PRECIADO (in) comes off the bench to replace Alan FRANCO (out) (Ecuador)
  10. 64′Kevin RODRIGUEZ (in) comes off the bench to replace Enner VALENCIA (out) (Ecuador)
  11. 64′Maximilian BEIER (in) comes off the bench to replace Felix NMECHA (out) (Germany)
  12. 71′Pervis ESTUPINAN (in) comes off the bench to replace Piero HINCAPIE (out) (Ecuador)
  13. 73′Pascal GROSS (in) comes off the bench to replace Florian WIRTZ (out) (Germany)
  14. 77′Gonzalo PLATA (Ecuador) scores!!
  15. 85′Jordy CAICEDO (in) comes off the bench to replace Nilson ANGULO (out) (Ecuador)
  16. 85′Felix TORRES (in) comes off the bench to replace John YEBOAH (out) (Ecuador)
  17. 89′Gonzalo PLATA (Ecuador) is booked by the referee.

The morning-after column · AI-written from the match data

Germany's Profligacy Proves Costly Against Pragmatic Ecuador

Germany made the perfect start with an early goal but Ecuador showed character, equalizing just minutes later in a way that suggested they understood the task. What followed was a match of contrasts: Germany monopolized possession—51 per cent to 39—yet seemed frustratingly unable to convert their control into concrete advantage. Ecuador's lower possession masked a disciplined structure and willingness to strike on transition. The turning point came when their clinical finishing, particularly an incisive 77th-minute strike, finally broke German resistance.

Germany's problem was simple: quantity over quality. They forced more turnovers (51 versus 49) and recovered possession faster, yet generated lower expected goals (0.74 to Ecuador's 1.29). Leroy Sané, Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala animated the midfield, but Nilson Angulo and John Yeboah's defensiveness blunted their threat. Ecuador's higher xG despite possessing just 39 per cent reflects ruthless finishing. At 77 minutes, when Ecuador struck decisively, the match tilted irreversibly: Germany had pressed relentlessly but couldn't convert. Their dominance had been illusory.

Ecuador's 1.29 expected goals with half of Germany's possession revealed this was about precision, not volume.

77′

Ecuador strikes decisively; Germany's relentless pressing finally fails to deliver.

What Ecuador needed

Clinical finishing and defensive discipline overcame German possession dominance.

  • Higher expected goals (1.29 vs 0.74) converted ruthlessly through decisive attacking.
  • Absorbed possession deficit with organized defending; Angulo (7.7) and Yeboah (7.2) proved immovable.
  • Survived two blocked or missed big chances (73', 77') then capitalized—efficiency when it mattered.

What Germany needed

Early goal squandered; late inefficiency proved fatal against clinical opponents.

  • Quick 2' lead demolished by 9' equalizer; momentum never recovered in opening flurry.
  • Expected goals deficit (0.74 vs 1.29) despite 11 shots exposed poor chance positioning.
  • Sané, Wirtz (7.5, 7.4) dominated but lacked penetration; Ecuador's 77' riposte trumped 76' saved shot.