EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — After a dominating 7-1 win over Curaçao to open the 2026 World Cup, Germany needed some second-half heroics from Deniz Undav and the rest of the substitutes to overtake Ivory Coast with a 2-1 victory. Instead of fighting for a spot in the knockout round during the third and final group stage match, Germany has the luxury of resting the starters against Ecuador because Germany has already clinched first place in Group E. This is the first time Germany has advanced to the knockout rounds since winning the World Cup in 2014.

Ecuador Faces a Must-Win Scenario

Ecuador will desperately need points to stay alive. They have been scoreless in both matches thus far, losing 1-0 to Ivory Coast and gutting out a 0-0 draw with Curaçao. While it's mathematically possible, for now, that Ecuador can still reach the round of 32 with a single point, they would be in a much stronger position with an upset win over Germany.

The match is being played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Thursday, June 25, 2026, with kickoff at 4 p.m. local time. The match is being broadcast on FOX and Telemundo in the United States. Betting markets list Germany as the favorite at -110, with the draw at 310 and Ecuador at 260.

Significant Lineup Changes Expected

With Germany already through to the knockout stage, manager Julian Nagelsmann is expected to make........

© International Business Times