World Cup Day 15: Ecuador stuns Germany as Groups D, E and F conclude
- Ecuador pulled off the tournament upset by coming back to beat Germany 2-1 with a goal from Gonzalo Plata, and qualified as best third-place team.
- Groups D, E and F were closed: Netherlands, Japan and Sweden were eliminated from Group F; Germany, Ivory Coast and Ecuador from Group E.
- Türkiye surprised United States 3-2, who still finished first in Group D along with Australia and Paraguay.
Second batch of unified matchdays and what an afternoon. The 15th wrapped up Groups D, E and F and served up the tournament's shock result so far, a host nation that stumbled and several best third-place tickets handed out. Here's the rundown.
Group E: Ecuador stuns Germany! The bombshell of the day. Ecuador came from behind to beat Germany 2-1 with goals from Angulo and a cracker from Gonzalo Plata in the 77th minute, beating Neuer and the Germans for the first time in their history. La Tri qualify as best third. Germany, already through, finish top; Ivory Coast beat Curaçao 2-0 (Pépé with a brace) and claim second place.
Group F: the Oranje reign supreme, Japan hold firm. Netherlands 3-1 Tunisia and top spot wrapped up with style. Japan drew 1-1 with Sweden (Maeda's goal and a beauty from Elanga) and progress in second; the Swedes sneak through as best third. Tunisia, eliminated without a point on the board.
Group D: Turkish twist, but USA keeps the crown. A Türkiye side already eliminated pulled off the shocker, winning 3-2 against the USA with a goal in the 90+8th minute, though Pochettino's hosts still walked away with top spot. Elsewhere, Paraguay 0-0 Australia: both through to the Round of 16, Australia second and La Albirroja as best third.
Frequently asked questions
What happened in the Ecuador-Germany match on the 15th?
Ecuador pulled off a major upset: they came from behind to beat Germany 2-1 with goals from Angulo and Gonzalo Plata in the 77th minute, defeating the Germans for the first time in their history and qualifying as the best third-place team.
How did Groups D, E and F look on the 15th?
Germany, Ivory Coast and Ecuador were eliminated from Group E; Netherlands and Japan advanced from Group F (with Sweden as the best third-place team); and United States, Australia and Paraguay advanced from Group D. Turkey, Curaçao and Tunisia were eliminated.
Did the United States lose on the 15th?
Yes, Turkey pulled off a surprise 3-2 victory over the United States with a goal in the 90+8th minute, but the hosts still finished first in Group D and advanced to the Round of 16.
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