Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa declared Friday a public holiday after the national team defeated Germany 2-1 to reach the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time in 20 years, according to ESPN.
Although Ecuador fell behind after only two minutes Thursday at New York-New Jersey Stadium, it fought back with Nilson Angulo and Gonzalo Plata scoring goals to beat the Group E winners.
Plata scored the winning goal in the 77th minute, sealing one of Ecuador’s biggest World Cup victories and securing a place in the round of 32 as one of the tournament’s top third-placed teams.
“Thank you to the players and the coach who, despite the criticism, the insults, and the tough times they went through, managed to bounce back and bring this immense joy to the entire country,” Noboa, who attended the match in New Jersey, wrote on social media.
“Tomorrow is a holiday! Long live Ecuador,” he proclaimed.
Ecuador faced criticism after opening the tournament with a 1-0 defeat to Ivory Coast before drawing 0-0 with Curaçao.
“We suffered until the last group game, and thankfully we got the result,” Plata said.
Although Ecuador finished behind Germany and Ivory Coast in Group E, it advanced as one of the tournament’s best third-placed teams, reaching the knockout stage for only the second time in its World Cup history after its 2006 campaign.
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