Sí se puede, yes we can, was the chant that rang out from the sea of 55,000 yellow shirts in New York 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 round of 32 as a best third-place team – and a first knockout match since 2006.
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