Key events<\/p>\n
50 min: Franco is booked for kicking a dead ball onto the pitch as Musiala was taking a quick throw. This second half so far has been mainly admin.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a>VAR: No penalty!<\/p>\n 48 min: There was contact. Not much, but enough. The referee announces the reversal and on we go.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 47 min: \u2026 but VAR ushers the referee over to the screen. Did Sane clip Vite on the halfway line earlier in the move?<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Penalty for Germany!<\/p>\n 45 min 30 sec: Nmecha plays the ball down the middle for Havertz. Ordonez bundles into him from the back. So clumsy. The referee points immediately to the spot.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.09 EDT<\/p>\n Ecuador get the second half underway. Pavlovic, on a booking, has been replaced by Stiller.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI currently seem to be viewing every match through a filter of \u2018but what does it mean for Scotland\u2019, and I think it\u2019s melting my brain,\u201d writes Sarah Rothwell. \u201cI\u2019m not even Scottish.\u201d For the record, as things stand, Ecuador<\/a> will finish as the third-placed team in Group E on two points, which is good news for the Scots.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Half-time postbag. \u201cThe New York\/New Jersey pitch looks noticeably rougher than any other in the tournament, and naturally it\u2019s where the final will be played. Not quite Estadio Azteca 1986 bobbliness levels, but trending that direction as the tournament wears on. What are the odds of the final in four weeks\u2019 time being decided by a defender attempting a clearance and getting a slapstick swing-and-a-miss?\u201d \u2013 Chris Burke<\/p>\n \u201cThe common denominator with the goals scored against Germany at this World Cup<\/a> seems to be Kimmich stuck in a defensive no-man\u2019s land, caught between stepping up on the ball or dropping. He often seems to be marking either a zone with no players or with two. Nagelsmann needs to find a more effective way to use him\u201d \u2013 Jonas Burkhard<\/p>\n \u201cOn the US English-language coverage, Ian Darke said something interesting (I know!) in that apparently the club whose players have scored the most goals is PSG with six, but second are Sunderland with four. Sunderland!\u201d \u2013 Mac Millings<\/p>\n \u201cWriting to you from Queretaro, Mexico where we\u2019re still basking in yesterday\u2019s fine victory and recovering from tequila fuelled partying just as the clich\u00e9s would have it. I understand that Fifa has a system of dark kit vs light kit for each game which is why Germany<\/a> aren\u2019t using their preferred white home kit, but don\u2019t their shorts clash rather strongly with the referee\u2019s shirt? Any ideas how the refs are assigned their colours? Surely a red or pink colour would have worked much better. \u00a1Hasta la victoria siempre!\u201d \u2013 Alex<\/p>\n \u201cAre those buses parked?\u201d \u2013 David Marriott<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Half-time reading. You want world-class World Cup<\/a> content? We got world-class World Cup content!<\/p>\n Share<\/a>HALF TIME: Ecuador 1-1 Germany<\/p>\n Ecuador responded valiantly to going behind early, and their hope of making it through to the knockouts with a win hasn\u2019t been extinguished yet. Should make for another fun half of football!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45 min +4: Wirtz tries to dribble his way through a cluster of three defenders inside the Ecuador<\/a> box, the outcome predictable.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45 min +2: This half is petering out a bit. It\u2019s been entertaining stuff on the whole, though. And to be fair, it is hot.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 45 min: There will be four additional first-half minutes.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 44 min: \u2026 and now the second yellow card of the game comes along in short order, Pavolvic tugging back the in-flight Valencia.<\/p>\n London buses. Photograph: Retro AdArchives\/AlamyShare<\/a><\/p>\n 43 min: Hincapie is booked for a combination of tugging back Sane and then shaping to get up in the referee\u2019s grille.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 41 min: Musiala sashays into the Ecuador<\/a> box from the left and looks for Havertz in the middle with a low curler. Ordonez comes across to whip clear.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 39 min: \u2026 although the result is increasingly scrappy fare. You pays your money, etc.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 37 min: Both teams take it up a notch. Some hard but fair tackles flying in. All good old-fashioned fun.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 35 min: Musiala enters the Ecuador<\/a> box from the left and shoots. Blocked by Franco for a corner. Wirtz sends it in, but the ball bounces behind everyone and Valencia clear their lines. It\u2019s been a proper mixed bag from Wirtz, who had a huge role in the opener, but whose radar has been skew-whiff ever since.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 34 min: Now Kimmich and Pavlovic confuse each other in midfield, allowing Caicedo to romp off with the ball. Once again Ecuador<\/a> make a balls of the break, and Germany get away with this. Germany can\u2019t keep doing this, though, if they\u2019ve any hope of winning this thing. Imagine this sort of carry-on against France. It\u2019d be carnage.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 32 min: Wirtz plays a blind reverse pass back down the German left, and it\u2019s picked off by Angulo, who barrels towards the Germany<\/a> box. He lays off to Valencia, whose poor shot is blocked by Tah and cleared. That was an awful ball by Wirtz, who put his team in trouble; Germany were light at the back and lucky Angulo and Valencia made a mess of the counter.<\/p>\n Florian Wirtz tries a pass. Photograph: Al Bello\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.43 EDT<\/p>\n 30 min: The end of the hydration break (which incidentally continues, pleasingly, to be given the bird by all members of the crowd).<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 28 min: \u2026 and here it is. Drinks! Krombacher pils or Maaza soursop guanabana juice? The choice is yours.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 27 min: Ecuador<\/a> pass and probe, without too much forward energy. Perhaps they\u2019re waiting for the hydration break.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 25 min: Raum crosses from the left. Havertz rises highest and heads goalwards \u2026 but straight at Galindez. The first time Germany<\/a> have shown in attack for a while.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 24 min: Hincapie hares into the box from the left, preparing to shoot, but Sane tracks back to toe-poke the ball away from the Ecuadorian. Almost as big a contribution as his goal.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 23 min: Franco is causing Germany<\/a> all sorts of bother down the right. First a cross that\u2019s only just headed clear by Kimmich. (A claim for handball, as the ball grazes his arm, but no.) Then a cutback that evades all yellow shirts. If he gets one of these deliveries right, Germany will be in all sorts.<\/p>\n Ecuador’s Alan Franco puts the ball in the box. Photograph: Frank Franklin II\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.43 EDT<\/p>\n 22 min: Angulo delivers. Neuer punches clear to the halfway line. Ecuador<\/a> are the better side at the moment.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 21 min: Plata makes good ground down the right but his cross isn\u2019t all that and Germany clear their lines. But Ecuador<\/a> come again, Angulo and Hincapie combining down the left to win a corner. From which \u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 19 min: Hincapie looks to have got the better of Kimmich down the left, but the whistle goes. Both players had a handful of shirt, and the defender usually gets the benefit of the 50-50 tussle, so. The crowd not happy, pt II in a continuing series.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 18 min: Ecuador\u2019s response to conceding early has been excellent. They\u2019re going toe-to-toe with Germany here, having perhaps flipped into devil-may-care mode upon being forced to stare into the abyss.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 16 min: According to the BBC, Germany have now conceded in nine consecutive World Cup<\/a> finals games, equalling a run set between 1934 and 1954. That stat\u2019s worth the licence fee all on its own. I bet they\u2019ve not been told that on ZDF or ARD.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 14 min: Nmecha strides down the inside-right channel and whips a low drive across Galindez and inches wide of the bottom-left corner. This game is great fun. It surely won\u2019t end 1-1. Meanwhile here\u2019s a word from MBM fashion correspondent Charles Antaki: \u201cWe\u2019ve seen some terrific kits in this World Cup<\/a>, but if we\u2019re giving out prizes for beachwear, then Germany are going to be way, way out in front. If a kit isn\u2019t aesthetically pleasing then at least it might be assertive and red-blooded \u2013 but this dark green\/mint combo is about as intimidating as something off the Man at C&A summer sale rack.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 13 min: Kimmich floats a ball into the Ecuadorian box, and the livewire Wirtz nearly gets on the end of it. Pacho takes charge, with his keeper on walkabout, and heads clear, just in time.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 12 min: Plata nicks the ball off the dilly-dallying Kimmich, and sends Yeboah away down the right. He enters the box with nobody near him, but the referee blows up for a soft free kick. Ecuador<\/a> not getting the benefit of the decisions during these early exchanges.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 11 min: That was a heck of a finish, and through Pavlovic\u2019s legs to boot. Not the best challenge by Pavlovic, and Nmecha\u2019s lazy touch was costly, so Germany were partly to blame for their own downfall, but take nothing away from that strike. What a way for Ecuador to open their 2026 World Cup<\/a> account!<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Ecuador 1-1 Germany (Angulo 9)<\/p>\n Ecuador string a few passes together for the first time. Then they lose the ball. Then Vite snaffles it back immediately, Nmecha taking a heavy touch and Angulo tears off down the inside-left channel. He opens his body, just before the edge of the box, and unleashes a powerful low curler into the bottom right! The net billows! The crowd explode!<\/p>\n Ecuador’s Nilson Angulo scores their first goal past Germany’s Manuel Neuer. Photograph: Dylan Martinez\/ReutersAngulo celebrates. Photograph: Seth Wenig\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.22 EDT<\/p>\n 7 min: Ecuador<\/a> are rocking, and they fail to deal with another long pass down the middle. Wirtz picks up possession again and has a whack that\u2019s blocked immediately.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 5 min: Ordonez catches Musiala late, and is fortunate to escape a booking for standing on his opponent\u2019s foot.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 4 min: That\u2019s a bit of a controversial one, because Pavlovic\u2019s boot was head-high, and might have gently scratched Vite\u2019s noggin. VAR doesn\u2019t get involved, and the referee isn\u2019t minded to change hers. Ecuador<\/a> furious.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Ecuador 0-1 Germany (Sane 2)<\/p>\n A throw comes in from the left. Pavlovic juggles the ball over Vite\u2019s head. Wirtz takes possession of the dropping ball, takes a quick touch before rolling across for Sane, who passes confidently into the bottom left. Lovely assist and finish!<\/p>\n Germany’s Leroy Sane scores. Photograph: Mike Segar\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.23 EDT<\/p>\n 2 min: A simple long ball nearly releases Wirtz down the left. Wirtz shifts the ball infield, but there\u2019s too many defenders in the way and the ball\u2019s cleared out for a throw. From which \u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Germany get the ball rolling. It\u2019s an away match for them, and not just in bureaucratic terms. There are an estimated 55,000 Ecuador<\/a> supporters in this stadium tonight!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The teams are out at the New York New Jersey Stadium! The home of the Jets and the Giants (ordered that way to put the Guardian US sports editor in a good humour). It\u2019s hot, but not quite as hot as it\u2019s been in London today. Strange times. We\u2019ll be off once Ecuador<\/a> captain Mois\u00e9s Caicedo has handed over that lovely pennant to his opposite number Joshua Kimmich.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Pre-match postbag. \u201cWriting from Ecuador, I can say people are understandably disappointed with how the World Cup<\/a> has gone so far. After finishing second in qualifying, there was a feeling that this group could achieve something, but we were ignoring the unequal distribution of talent in the team: in the back, you have Pacho, who has won two Champions League titles, and Hincapie, who won the Bundesliga and the Premier League, and in the middle, you have Moises Caicedo. Up front, we still have 36-year-old Enner Valencia, who couldn\u2019t really do it at Everton 10 years ago. There\u2019s an exciting generation of Ecuadorian strikers, including the 16-year-old twins currently at Arsenal, but they\u2019re not yet ready. The country was hoping Germany would field their second string of players for this match; turns out they didn\u2019t. On another note, many attribute Ecuador\u2019s success in qualifying to Quito\u2019s altitude, but this overlooks the fact that most of Ecuador\u2019s players come from abroad, so they also have to adjust to the altitude. Also, under the current coach, Ecuador started playing home games in Guayaquil, which is at sea level\u201d \u2013 Matthew Carpenter-Arevalo<\/p>\n \u201cAs well as some underdogs have performed this World Cup there hasn\u2019t really been a big upset victory. Maybe today will be the day for that and if it happens, there would be no better occasion than Ecuador<\/a> in front of a crowd which is likely to be majority Ecuadorean due to the huge population living in New York and surrounding region\u201d \u2013 John in New York<\/p>\n \u201cIt would be good to have a bit of Ecuadorian bomba<\/a> in case they, erm, bomb out of the competition tonight\u201d \u2013 Charles Antaki<\/p>\n \u201cGermany\u2019s number 26 deserves to start. Undav story\u201d \u2013 Peter Oh (who else?)<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n For those Scotland supporters clinging onto hope \u2013 and what\u2019s the point of sport if you can\u2019t keep dreaming? \u2013 there\u2019s plenty riding on this game (and the other one in Group E) tonight. Providing neither Ecuador<\/a> nor Cura\u00e7ao win, the third-place finisher in this group cannot equal Scotland\u2019s three-point haul. So that\u2019d be one down, three to go for the Scots in their quest to keep their heads above water. But if Ecuador win, they\u2019d be on four points, while if that happens and Cura\u00e7ao beat C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, Cura\u00e7ao would need to prevail by four goals to damage the African side\u2019s goal difference to the extent required to banish them below Scotland in the third-place table. Erm. That it\u2019s come to this for Steve Clarke and his men.<\/p>\n Oh Scotland. Photograph: PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Ecuador being the designated home team, Germany will sport their navy away kit tonight. They could legitimately have run out in their famous white shirts, but the right thing has been done by colourblind fans: white v pastel is problematic, while blue v yellow is a good combination for people with colour blindness. The flecks on the shirt are mint, as is, in a manner of speaking, that lovely black tracky top.<\/p>\n The final away kit produced by Adidas for Germany, before Nike takes over in 2027. (No, that doesn\u2019t feel right, does it?) Photograph: Maddie Meyer\/FIFA\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Ecuador\u2019s match pennant is a thing of genuine beauty. Full disclosure: there was another photo on the wires with a better angle of it, but it cropped out the heads of the subjects in the framed picture, which seemed kind of wrong, so giving due respect to the artist Luigi Crosio, the Refugium Peccatorum Madonna and the baby Jesus, I\u2019m going with this one instead.<\/p>\n Refugium Peccatorum Madonna or the Refuge of Sinners Madonna (1898). Photograph: Maddie Meyer\/FIFA\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Ecuador make two changes to their starting XI after the goalless draw with Cura\u00e7ao. Joel Ord\u00f3\u00f1ez comes into the defence while Nilson Angulo joins the attack. Pervis Estupi\u00f1\u00e1n and Jordy Alc\u00edvar drop to the bench.<\/p>\n Germany also make two changes, but both of those are enforced. Central defender Nico Schlotterbeck is out of the World Cup<\/a> after suffering ligament damage, while left-back Nathaniel Brown has an adductor problem and isn\u2019t risked. Antonio R\u00fcdiger and David Raum take their places. Three-goal supersub Deniz Undav starts on the bench again.<\/p>\n Deniz Undav<\/a>Share<\/a>The teams<\/p>\n Ecuador: Galindez, Franco, Ordonez, Pacho, Hincapie, Yeboah, Vite, Moises Caicedo, Angulo, Plata, Enner Valencia. Germany: Neuer, Kimmich, Rudiger, Tah, Raum, Nmecha, Pavlovic, Sane, Musiala, Wirtz, Havertz. Referee: Tori Penso (USA).<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u2026 and now here\u2019s Ecuador\u2019s contribution to the story so far. It doesn\u2019t amount to much.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Here\u2019s how Germany<\/a> have done so far. That Livano Comenencia equaliser seems an awfully long time ago now.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Friends reunited. Reacquaint yourself with old pals from both squads.<\/p>\n
Subs: Ramirez, Valle, Torres, Alcivar, Estupinan, Anthony Valencia, Paez, Rodriguez, Minda, Jordy Caicedo, Preciado, Castillo, Arevalo, Porozo, Medina.<\/p>\n
Subs: Baumann, Nubel, Anton, Goretzka, Leweling, Woltemade, Gross, Beier, Stiller, Amiri, Thiaw, Ouedraogo, Undav.<\/p>\n